Remote XSL Script Execution via COM
editRemote XSL Script Execution via COM
editIdentifies the execution of a hosted XSL script using the Microsoft.XMLDOM COM interface via Microsoft Office processes. This behavior may indicate adversarial activity to execute malicious JScript or VBScript on the system.
Rule type: eql
Rule indices:
- logs-endpoint.events.process-*
- logs-endpoint.events.library-*
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
- OS: Windows
- Use Case: Threat Detection
- Tactic: Initial Access
- Tactic: Defense Evasion
- Data Source: Elastic Defend
Version: 3
Rule authors:
- Elastic
Rule license: Elastic License v2
Rule query
editsequence with maxspan=1m
[library where host.os.type == "windows" and dll.name : "msxml3.dll" and
process.name : ("winword.exe", "excel.exe", "powerpnt.exe", "mspub.exe")] by process.entity_id
[process where host.os.type == "windows" and event.action == "start" and
process.parent.name : ("winword.exe", "excel.exe", "powerpnt.exe", "mspub.exe") and
not process.executable :
("?:\\Windows\\System32\\WerFault.exe",
"?:\\Windows\\SysWoW64\\WerFault.exe",
"?:\\windows\\splwow64.exe",
"?:\\Windows\\System32\\conhost.exe",
"?:\\Program Files\\*.exe",
"?:\\Program Files (x86)\\*exe")] by process.parent.entity_id
Framework: MITRE ATT&CKTM
-
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 Link
- ID: T1566.002
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1566/002/
-
Tactic:
- Name: Defense Evasion
- ID: TA0005
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0005/
-
Technique:
- Name: XSL Script Processing
- ID: T1220
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1220/