Unusual Executable File Creation by a System Critical Process

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Unusual Executable File Creation by a System Critical Process

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Identifies an unexpected executable file being created or modified by a Windows system critical process, which may indicate activity related to remote code execution or other forms of exploitation.

Rule type: query

Rule indices:

  • winlogbeat-*
  • logs-endpoint.events.*
  • logs-windows.*

Severity: high

Risk score: 73

Runs every: 5 minutes

Searches indices from: now-9m (Date Math format, see also Additional look-back time)

Maximum alerts per execution: 100

Tags:

  • Elastic
  • Host
  • Windows
  • Threat Detection
  • Defense Evasion

Version: 3 (version history)

Added (Elastic Stack release): 7.10.0

Last modified (Elastic Stack release): 7.12.0

Rule authors: Elastic

Rule license: Elastic License v2

Rule query

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event.category:file and not event.type:deletion and
file.extension:(exe or dll) and process.name:(smss.exe or autochk.exe
or csrss.exe or wininit.exe or services.exe or lsass.exe or
winlogon.exe or userinit.exe or LogonUI.exe)

Threat mapping

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Framework: MITRE ATT&CKTM

Rule version history

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Version 3 (7.12.0 release)
  • Formatting only
Version 2 (7.11.2 release)
  • Formatting only