IMPORTANT: No additional bug fixes or documentation updates
will be released for this version. For the latest information, see the
current release documentation.
Potential Masquerading as System32 Executable
editPotential Masquerading as System32 Executable
editIdentifies suspicious instances of default system32 executables, either unsigned or signed with non-MS certificates. This could indicate the attempt to masquerade as system executables or backdoored and resigned legitimate executables.
Rule type: eql
Rule indices:
- logs-endpoint.events.process-*
Severity: low
Risk score: 21
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
- Data Source: Elastic Defend
- OS: Windows
- Use Case: Threat Detection
- Tactic: Defense Evasion
- Tactic: Persistence
- Rule Type: BBR
Version: 5
Rule authors:
- Elastic
Rule license: Elastic License v2
Rule query
editprocess where host.os.type == "windows" and event.type == "start" and (process.code_signature.status : "?*" or process.code_signature.exists != null) and process.name: ( "agentactivationruntimestarter.exe", "agentservice.exe", "aitstatic.exe", "alg.exe", "apphostregistrationverifier.exe", "appidcertstorecheck.exe", "appidpolicyconverter.exe", "appidtel.exe", "applicationframehost.exe", "applysettingstemplatecatalog.exe", "applytrustoffline.exe", "approvechildrequest.exe", "appvclient.exe", "appvdllsurrogate.exe", "appvnice.exe", "appvshnotify.exe", "arp.exe", "assignedaccessguard.exe", "at.exe", "atbroker.exe", "attrib.exe", "audiodg.exe", "auditpol.exe", "authhost.exe", "autochk.exe", "autoconv.exe", "autofmt.exe", "axinstui.exe", "baaupdate.exe", "backgroundtaskhost.exe", "backgroundtransferhost.exe", "bcdboot.exe", "bcdedit.exe", "bdechangepin.exe", "bdehdcfg.exe", "bdeuisrv.exe", "bdeunlock.exe", "bioiso.exe", "bitlockerdeviceencryption.exe", "bitlockerwizard.exe", "bitlockerwizardelev.exe", "bitsadmin.exe", "bootcfg.exe", "bootim.exe", "bootsect.exe", "bridgeunattend.exe", "browserexport.exe", "browser_broker.exe", "bthudtask.exe", "bytecodegenerator.exe", "cacls.exe", "calc.exe", "camerasettingsuihost.exe", "castsrv.exe", "certenrollctrl.exe", "certreq.exe", "certutil.exe", "change.exe", "changepk.exe", "charmap.exe", "checknetisolation.exe", "chglogon.exe", "chgport.exe", "chgusr.exe", "chkdsk.exe", "chkntfs.exe", "choice.exe", "cidiag.exe", "cipher.exe", "cleanmgr.exe", "cliconfg.exe", "clip.exe", "clipup.exe", "cloudexperiencehostbroker.exe", "cloudnotifications.exe", "cmd.exe", "cmdkey.exe", "cmdl32.exe", "cmmon32.exe", "cmstp.exe", "cofire.exe", "colorcpl.exe", "comp.exe", "compact.exe", "compattelrunner.exe", "compmgmtlauncher.exe", "comppkgsrv.exe", "computerdefaults.exe", "conhost.exe", "consent.exe", "control.exe", "convert.exe", "convertvhd.exe", "coredpussvr.exe", "credentialenrollmentmanager.exe", "credentialuibroker.exe", "credwiz.exe", "cscript.exe", "csrss.exe", "ctfmon.exe", "cttune.exe", "cttunesvr.exe", "custominstallexec.exe", "customshellhost.exe", "dashost.exe", "dataexchangehost.exe", "datastorecachedumptool.exe", "dccw.exe", "dcomcnfg.exe", "ddodiag.exe", "defrag.exe", "deploymentcsphelper.exe", "desktopimgdownldr.exe", "devicecensus.exe", "devicecredentialdeployment.exe", "deviceeject.exe", "deviceenroller.exe", "devicepairingwizard.exe", "deviceproperties.exe", "dfdwiz.exe", "dfrgui.exe", "dialer.exe", "directxdatabaseupdater.exe", "diskpart.exe", "diskperf.exe", "diskraid.exe", "disksnapshot.exe", "dism.exe", "dispdiag.exe", "displayswitch.exe", "djoin.exe", "dllhost.exe", "dllhst3g.exe", "dmcertinst.exe", "dmcfghost.exe", "dmclient.exe", "dmnotificationbroker.exe", "dmomacpmo.exe", "dnscacheugc.exe", "doskey.exe", "dpapimig.exe", "dpiscaling.exe", "dpnsvr.exe", "driverquery.exe", "drvinst.exe", "dsmusertask.exe", "dsregcmd.exe", "dstokenclean.exe", "dusmtask.exe", "dvdplay.exe", "dwm.exe", "dwwin.exe", "dxdiag.exe", "dxgiadaptercache.exe", "dxpserver.exe", "eap3host.exe", "easeofaccessdialog.exe", "easinvoker.exe", "easpolicymanagerbrokerhost.exe", "edpcleanup.exe", "edpnotify.exe", "eduprintprov.exe", "efsui.exe", "ehstorauthn.exe", "eoaexperiences.exe", "esentutl.exe", "eudcedit.exe", "eventcreate.exe", "eventvwr.exe", "expand.exe", "extrac32.exe", "fc.exe", "fclip.exe", "fhmanagew.exe", "filehistory.exe", "find.exe", "findstr.exe", "finger.exe", "fixmapi.exe", "fltmc.exe", "fodhelper.exe", "fondue.exe", "fontdrvhost.exe", "fontview.exe", "forfiles.exe", "fsavailux.exe", "fsiso.exe", "fsquirt.exe", "fsutil.exe", "ftp.exe", "fvenotify.exe", "fveprompt.exe", "gamebarpresencewriter.exe", "gamepanel.exe", "genvalobj.exe", "getmac.exe", "gpresult.exe", "gpscript.exe", "gpupdate.exe", "grpconv.exe", "hdwwiz.exe", "help.exe", "hostname.exe", "hvax64.exe", "hvix64.exe", "hvsievaluator.exe", "icacls.exe", "icsentitlementhost.exe", "icsunattend.exe", "ie4uinit.exe", "ie4ushowie.exe", "iesettingsync.exe", "ieunatt.exe", "iexpress.exe", "immersivetpmvscmgrsvr.exe", "infdefaultinstall.exe", "inputswitchtoasthandler.exe", "iotstartup.exe", "ipconfig.exe", "iscsicli.exe", "iscsicpl.exe", "isoburn.exe", "klist.exe", "ksetup.exe", "ktmutil.exe", "label.exe", "languagecomponentsinstallercomhandler.exe", "launchtm.exe", "launchwinapp.exe", "legacynetuxhost.exe", "licensemanagershellext.exe", "licensingdiag.exe", "licensingui.exe", "locationnotificationwindows.exe", "locator.exe", "lockapphost.exe", "lockscreencontentserver.exe", "lodctr.exe", "logagent.exe", "logman.exe", "logoff.exe", "logonui.exe", "lpkinstall.exe", "lpksetup.exe", "lpremove.exe", "lsaiso.exe", "lsass.exe", "magnify.exe", "makecab.exe", "manage-bde.exe", "mavinject.exe", "mbaeparsertask.exe", "mblctr.exe", "mbr2gpt.exe", "mcbuilder.exe", "mdeserver.exe", "mdmagent.exe", "mdmappinstaller.exe", "mdmdiagnosticstool.exe", "mdres.exe", "mdsched.exe", "mfpmp.exe", "microsoft.uev.cscunpintool.exe", "microsoft.uev.synccontroller.exe", "microsoftedgebchost.exe", "microsoftedgecp.exe", "microsoftedgedevtools.exe", "microsoftedgesh.exe", "mmc.exe", "mmgaserver.exe", "mobsync.exe", "mountvol.exe", "mousocoreworker.exe", "mpnotify.exe", "mpsigstub.exe", "mrinfo.exe", "mschedexe.exe", "msconfig.exe", "msdt.exe", "msdtc.exe", "msfeedssync.exe", "msg.exe", "mshta.exe", "msiexec.exe", "msinfo32.exe", "mspaint.exe", "msra.exe", "msspellcheckinghost.exe", "mstsc.exe", "mtstocom.exe", "muiunattend.exe", "multidigimon.exe", "musnotification.exe", "musnotificationux.exe", "musnotifyicon.exe", "narrator.exe", "nbtstat.exe", "ndadmin.exe", "ndkping.exe", "net.exe", "net1.exe", "netbtugc.exe", "netcfg.exe", "netcfgnotifyobjecthost.exe", "netevtfwdr.exe", "nethost.exe", "netiougc.exe", "netplwiz.exe", "netsh.exe", "netstat.exe", "newdev.exe", "ngciso.exe", "nltest.exe", "notepad.exe", "nslookup.exe", "ntoskrnl.exe", "ntprint.exe", "odbcad32.exe", "odbcconf.exe", "ofdeploy.exe", "omadmclient.exe", "omadmprc.exe", "openfiles.exe", "openwith.exe", "optionalfeatures.exe", "osk.exe", "pacjsworker.exe", "packagedcwalauncher.exe", "packageinspector.exe", "passwordonwakesettingflyout.exe", "pathping.exe", "pcalua.exe", "pcaui.exe", "pcwrun.exe", "perfmon.exe", "phoneactivate.exe", "pickerhost.exe", "pinenrollmentbroker.exe", "ping.exe", "pkgmgr.exe", "pktmon.exe", "plasrv.exe", "pnpunattend.exe", "pnputil.exe", "poqexec.exe", "pospaymentsworker.exe", "powercfg.exe", "presentationhost.exe", "presentationsettings.exe", "prevhost.exe", "printbrmui.exe", "printfilterpipelinesvc.exe", "printisolationhost.exe", "printui.exe", "proquota.exe", "provlaunch.exe", "provtool.exe", "proximityuxhost.exe", "prproc.exe", "psr.exe", "pwlauncher.exe", "qappsrv.exe", "qprocess.exe", "query.exe", "quser.exe", "qwinsta.exe", "rasautou.exe", "rasdial.exe", "raserver.exe", "rasphone.exe", "rdpclip.exe", "rdpinit.exe", "rdpinput.exe", "rdpsa.exe", "rdpsaproxy.exe", "rdpsauachelper.exe", "rdpshell.exe", "rdpsign.exe", "rdrleakdiag.exe", "reagentc.exe", "recdisc.exe", "recover.exe", "recoverydrive.exe", "refsutil.exe", "reg.exe", "regedt32.exe", "regini.exe", "register-cimprovider.exe", "regsvr32.exe", "rekeywiz.exe", "relog.exe", "relpost.exe", "remoteapplifetimemanager.exe", "remoteposworker.exe", "repair-bde.exe", "replace.exe", "reset.exe", "resetengine.exe", "resmon.exe", "rmactivate.exe", "rmactivate_isv.exe", "rmactivate_ssp.exe", "rmactivate_ssp_isv.exe", "rmclient.exe", "rmttpmvscmgrsvr.exe", "robocopy.exe", "route.exe", "rpcping.exe", "rrinstaller.exe", "rstrui.exe", "runas.exe", "rundll32.exe", "runexehelper.exe", "runlegacycplelevated.exe", "runonce.exe", "runtimebroker.exe", "rwinsta.exe", "sc.exe", "schtasks.exe", "scriptrunner.exe", "sdbinst.exe", "sdchange.exe", "sdclt.exe", "sdiagnhost.exe", "searchfilterhost.exe", "searchindexer.exe", "searchprotocolhost.exe", "secedit.exe", "secinit.exe", "securekernel.exe", "securityhealthhost.exe", "securityhealthservice.exe", "securityhealthsystray.exe", "sensordataservice.exe", "services.exe", "sessionmsg.exe", "sethc.exe", "setspn.exe", "settingsynchost.exe", "setupcl.exe", "setupugc.exe", "setx.exe", "sfc.exe", "sgrmbroker.exe", "sgrmlpac.exe", "shellappruntime.exe", "shrpubw.exe", "shutdown.exe", "sigverif.exe", "sihclient.exe", "sihost.exe", "slidetoshutdown.exe", "slui.exe", "smartscreen.exe", "smss.exe", "sndvol.exe", "snippingtool.exe", "snmptrap.exe", "sort.exe", "spaceagent.exe", "spaceman.exe", "spatialaudiolicensesrv.exe", "spectrum.exe", "spoolsv.exe", "sppextcomobj.exe", "sppsvc.exe", "srdelayed.exe", "srtasks.exe", "stordiag.exe", "subst.exe", "svchost.exe", "sxstrace.exe", "syncappvpublishingserver.exe", "synchost.exe", "sysreseterr.exe", "systeminfo.exe", "systempropertiesadvanced.exe", "systempropertiescomputername.exe", "systempropertiesdataexecutionprevention.exe", "systempropertieshardware.exe", "systempropertiesperformance.exe", "systempropertiesprotection.exe", "systempropertiesremote.exe", "systemreset.exe", "systemsettingsadminflows.exe", "systemsettingsbroker.exe", "systemsettingsremovedevice.exe", "systemuwplauncher.exe", "systray.exe", "tabcal.exe", "takeown.exe", "tapiunattend.exe", "tar.exe", "taskhostw.exe", "taskkill.exe", "tasklist.exe", "taskmgr.exe", "tcblaunch.exe", "tcmsetup.exe", "tcpsvcs.exe", "thumbnailextractionhost.exe", "tieringengineservice.exe", "timeout.exe", "tokenbrokercookies.exe", "tpminit.exe", "tpmtool.exe", "tpmvscmgr.exe", "tpmvscmgrsvr.exe", "tracerpt.exe", "tracert.exe", "tscon.exe", "tsdiscon.exe", "tskill.exe", "tstheme.exe", "tswbprxy.exe", "ttdinject.exe", "tttracer.exe", "typeperf.exe", "tzsync.exe", "tzutil.exe", "ucsvc.exe", "uevagentpolicygenerator.exe", "uevappmonitor.exe", "uevtemplatebaselinegenerator.exe", "uevtemplateconfigitemgenerator.exe", "uimgrbroker.exe", "unlodctr.exe", "unregmp2.exe", "upfc.exe", "upgraderesultsui.exe", "upnpcont.exe", "upprinterinstaller.exe", "useraccountbroker.exe", "useraccountcontrolsettings.exe", "userinit.exe", "usoclient.exe", "utcdecoderhost.exe", "utilman.exe", "vaultcmd.exe", "vds.exe", "vdsldr.exe", "verclsid.exe", "verifier.exe", "verifiergui.exe", "vssadmin.exe", "vssvc.exe", "w32tm.exe", "waasmedicagent.exe", "waitfor.exe", "wallpaperhost.exe", "wbadmin.exe", "wbengine.exe", "wecutil.exe", "werfault.exe", "werfaultsecure.exe", "wermgr.exe", "wevtutil.exe", "wextract.exe", "where.exe", "whoami.exe", "wiaacmgr.exe", "wiawow64.exe", "wifitask.exe", "wimserv.exe", "winbiodatamodeloobe.exe", "windows.media.backgroundplayback.exe", "windows.warp.jitservice.exe", "windowsactiondialog.exe", "windowsupdateelevatedinstaller.exe", "wininit.exe", "winload.exe", "winlogon.exe", "winresume.exe", "winrs.exe", "winrshost.exe", "winrtnetmuahostserver.exe", "winsat.exe", "winver.exe", "wkspbroker.exe", "wksprt.exe", "wlanext.exe", "wlrmdr.exe", "wmpdmc.exe", "workfolders.exe", "wowreg32.exe", "wpcmon.exe", "wpctok.exe", "wpdshextautoplay.exe", "wpnpinst.exe", "wpr.exe", "write.exe", "wscadminui.exe", "wscollect.exe", "wscript.exe", "wsl.exe", "wsmanhttpconfig.exe", "wsmprovhost.exe", "wsqmcons.exe", "wsreset.exe", "wuapihost.exe", "wuauclt.exe", "wudfcompanionhost.exe", "wudfhost.exe", "wusa.exe", "wwahost.exe", "xblgamesavetask.exe", "xcopy.exe", "xwizard.exe", "aggregatorhost.exe", "diskusage.exe", "dtdump.exe", "ism.exe", "ndkperfcmd.exe", "ntkrla57.exe", "securekernella57.exe", "spaceutil.exe", "configure-smremoting.exe", "dcgpofix.exe", "dcpromo.exe", "dimc.exe", "diskshadow.exe", "drvcfg.exe", "escunattend.exe", "iashost.exe", "ktpass.exe", "lbfoadmin.exe", "netdom.exe", "rdspnf.exe", "rsopprov.exe", "sacsess.exe", "servermanager.exe", "servermanagerlauncher.exe", "setres.exe", "tsecimp.exe", "vssuirun.exe", "webcache.exe", "win32calc.exe", "certoc.exe", "sdndiagnosticstask.exe", "xpsrchvw.exe" ) and not ( process.code_signature.subject_name in ( "Microsoft Windows", "Microsoft Corporation", "Microsoft Windows Publisher" ) and process.code_signature.trusted == true ) and not process.code_signature.status: ("errorCode_endpoint*", "errorUntrustedRoot", "errorChaining") and not ( process.executable: ( "?:\\Program Files\\Git\\usr\\bin\\hostname.exe", "?:\\Windows\\Temp\\{*}\\taskkill.exe", "?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\{*}\\taskkill.exe", "?:\\$WINDOWS.~BT\\NewOS\\Windows\\System32\\ie4ushowIE.exe", "?:\\Program Files\\Git\\usr\\bin\\find.exe", "?:\\Program Files (x86)\\Axence\\nVision Agent 2\\nss\\certutil.exe" ) ) and not ( (process.name: "ucsvc.exe" and process.code_signature.subject_name == "Wellbia.com Co., Ltd." and process.code_signature.status: "trusted") or (process.name: "pnputil.exe" and process.code_signature.subject_name: ("Lenovo", "HP Inc.", "Dell Inc") and process.code_signature.status: "trusted") or (process.name: "convert.exe" and process.code_signature.subject_name: "ImageMagick Studio LLC" and process.code_signature.status: "trusted") or (process.name: "systeminfo.exe" and process.code_signature.subject_name: "Arctic Wolf Networks, Inc." and process.code_signature.status: "trusted") or ( process.name: "certutil.exe" and process.code_signature.subject_name: ( "Intel(R) Online Connect Access", "Fortinet Technologies (Canada) ULC" ) and process.code_signature.status: "trusted" ) or ( process.name: "sfc.exe" and process.code_signature.subject_name: ( "Cisco Systems, Inc.", "CISCO SYSTEMS CANADA CO" ) and process.code_signature.status: "trusted" ) )
Framework: MITRE ATT&CKTM
-
Tactic:
- Name: Defense Evasion
- ID: TA0005
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0005/
-
Technique:
- Name: Masquerading
- ID: T1036
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1036/
-
Sub-technique:
- Name: Invalid Code Signature
- ID: T1036.001
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1036/001/
-
Sub-technique:
- Name: Match Legitimate Name or Location
- ID: T1036.005
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1036/005/
-
Tactic:
- Name: Persistence
- ID: TA0003
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0003/
-
Technique:
- Name: Compromise Host Software Binary
- ID: T1554
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1554/