Cross-source coverage
T1021.003 / ATT&CK
Remote Services: Distributed Component Object Model
From MITRE ATT&CK 19.2
Adversaries may use Valid Accounts to interact with remote machines by taking advantage of Distributed Component Object Model (DCOM). The adversary may then perform actions as the logged-on user.
The Windows Component Object Model (COM) is a component of the native Windows application programming interface (API) that enables interaction between software objects, or executable code that implements one or more interfaces. Through COM, a client object can call methods of server objects, which are typically Dynamic Link Libraries (DLL) or executables (EXE). Distributed COM (DCOM) is transparent middleware that extends the functionality of COM beyond a local computer using remote procedure call (RPC) technology.
Permissions to interact with local and remote server COM objects are specified by access control lists (ACL) in the Registry. By default, only Administrators may remotely activate and launch COM objects through DCOM.
Through DCOM, adversaries operating in the context of an appropriately privileged user can remotely obtain arbitrary and even direct shellcode execution through Office applications as well as other Windows objects that contain insecure methods. DCOM can also execute macros in existing documents and may also invoke Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) execution directly through a COM created instance of a Microsoft Office application, bypassing the need for a malicious document. DCOM can be used as a method of remotely interacting with Windows Management Instrumentation.
- Tactics
- Lateral Movement
- Platforms
- Windows
- Telemetry
-
WinEventLog:SecurityWinEventLog:Sysmon
How MITRE says to detect it DET0285
Multi-Event Behavioral Detection for DCOM-Based Remote Code Execution
Windows Analytic 0791
A remote DCOM invocation by a privileged account using RPC (port 135), followed by abnormal process instantiation or module loading on the remote system indicative of code execution.
WinEventLog:SecurityEventCode=4624, 4648WinEventLog:SysmonEventCode=3, 22WinEventLog:SysmonEventCode=1WinEventLog:SysmonEventCode=7
SigmaHQ/sigma
13 rules| Detection | Severity | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Potential DCOM InternetExplorer.Application DLL Hijack | Critical | Sigma |
| Potential DCOM InternetExplorer.Application DLL Hijack - Image Load | Critical | Sigma |
| BaaUpdate.exe Suspicious DLL Load | High | Sigma |
| DCOM InternetExplorer.Application Iertutil DLL Hijack - Security | High | Sigma |
| HackTool - Potential Impacket Lateral Movement Activity | High | Sigma |
| MMC20 Lateral Movement | High | Sigma |
| MMC Spawning Windows Shell | High | Sigma |
| Potential Excel.EXE DCOM Lateral Movement Via ActivateMicrosoftApp | High | Sigma |
| Remote DCOM/WMI Lateral Movement | High | Sigma |
| Suspicious BitLocker Access Agent Update Utility Execution | High | Sigma |
+ 3 more from SigmaHQ/sigma → showing the 10 highest-severity
splunk/security_content
10 rules| Detection | Severity | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Impacket Lateral Movement Commandline Parameters | Undefined | SPL |
| Impacket Lateral Movement smbexec CommandLine Parameters | Undefined | SPL |
| Impacket Lateral Movement WMIExec Commandline Parameters | Undefined | SPL |
| Mmc LOLBAS Execution Process Spawn | Undefined | SPL |
| Possible Lateral Movement PowerShell Spawn | Undefined | SPL |
| Remote Process Instantiation via DCOM and PowerShell | Undefined | SPL |
| Remote Process Instantiation via DCOM and PowerShell Script Block | Undefined | SPL |
| Windows Excel Spawning Microsoft Project Application | Undefined | SPL |
| Windows SpeechRuntime COM Hijacking DLL Load | Undefined | SPL |
| Windows SpeechRuntime Suspicious Child Process | Undefined | SPL |
elastic/detection-rules
8 rules| Detection | Severity | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Incoming DCOM Lateral Movement via MSHTA | High | Elastic TOML |
| Incoming DCOM Lateral Movement with MMC | High | Elastic TOML |
| RPC (Remote Procedure Call) to the Internet | High | Elastic TOML |
| Suspicious Cmd Execution via WMI | High | Elastic TOML |
| Incoming DCOM Lateral Movement with ShellBrowserWindow or ShellWindows | Medium | Elastic TOML |
| Outbound Scheduled Task Activity via PowerShell | Medium | Elastic TOML |
| Potential PowerShell HackTool Script by Function Names | Medium | Elastic TOML |
| WMI Incoming Lateral Movement | Medium | Elastic TOML |
elastic/protections-artifacts
5 rules| Detection | Severity | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Execution via DCOM Excel Application | Undefined | Elastic TOML |
| Lateral Execution via DCOM Office Application | Undefined | Elastic TOML |
| Suspicious Execution via DCOM | Undefined | Elastic TOML |
| Suspicious Execution via IHxHelpPaneServer | Undefined | Elastic TOML |
| Suspicious Remote Registry Modification | Undefined | Elastic TOML |
Wazuh Core Ruleset
2 rules · 1 family| Detection | Severity | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon Security Lake - VPC - DCE/RPC connection established. 2 variants | Low | Wazuh XML |
| Amazon Security Lake - VPC - DCE/RPC connection established. 2 variants | Low | Wazuh XML |