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Windows Script Interpreter Executing Process via WMI

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Windows Script Interpreter Executing Process via WMI

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Identifies use of the built-in Windows script interpreters (cscript.exe or wscript.exe) being used to execute a process via Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI). This may be indicative of malicious activity.

Rule type: eql

Rule indices:

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

Severity: medium

Risk score: 47

Runs every: 5m

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

Maximum alerts per execution: 100

References: None

Tags:

Domain: Endpoint
OS: Windows
Use Case: Threat Detection
Tactic: Initial Access
Tactic: Execution
Data Source: Elastic Endgame
Data Source: Elastic Defend

Version: 107

Rule authors:

Elastic

Rule license: Elastic License v2

Rule query

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sequence by host.id with maxspan = 5s
    [any where host.os.type == "windows" and
     (event.category : ("library", "driver") or (event.category == "process" and event.action : "Image loaded*")) and
     (dll.name : "wmiutils.dll" or file.name : "wmiutils.dll") and process.name : ("wscript.exe", "cscript.exe")]
    [process where host.os.type == "windows" and event.type == "start" and
     process.parent.name : "wmiprvse.exe" and
     user.domain != "NT AUTHORITY" and
     (process.pe.original_file_name :
        (
          "cscript.exe",
          "wscript.exe",
          "PowerShell.EXE",
          "Cmd.Exe",
          "MSHTA.EXE",
          "RUNDLL32.EXE",
          "REGSVR32.EXE",
          "MSBuild.exe",
          "InstallUtil.exe",
          "RegAsm.exe",
          "RegSvcs.exe",
          "msxsl.exe",
          "CONTROL.EXE",
          "EXPLORER.EXE",
          "Microsoft.Workflow.Compiler.exe",
          "msiexec.exe"
        ) or
      process.executable : ("C:\\Users\\*.exe", "C:\\ProgramData\\*.exe")
     )
    ]

Framework: MITRE ATT&CK^TM

Tactic:
- Name: Initial Access
- ID: TA0001
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0001/
Technique:
- Name: Phishing
- ID: T1566
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1566/
Sub-technique:
- Name: Spearphishing Attachment
- ID: T1566.001
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1566/001/
Tactic:
- Name: Execution
- ID: TA0002
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0002/
Technique:
- Name: Command and Scripting Interpreter
- ID: T1059
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/
Sub-technique:
- Name: Visual Basic
- ID: T1059.005
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/005/
Technique:
- Name: Windows Management Instrumentation
- ID: T1047
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1047/

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