Suspicious Execution via MSIEXEC
editSuspicious Execution via MSIEXEC
editIdentifies suspicious execution of the built-in Windows Installer, msiexec.exe, to install a package from usual paths or parent process. Adversaries may abuse msiexec.exe to launch malicious local MSI files.
Rule type: eql
Rule indices:
- logs-endpoint.events.process-*
- winlogbeat-*
- logs-windows.*
- endgame-*
Severity: low
Risk score: 21
Runs every: 60m
Searches indices from: now-119m (Date Math format, see also Additional look-back time
)
Maximum alerts per execution: 100
References:
Tags:
- Domain: Endpoint
- OS: Windows
- Use Case: Threat Detection
- Tactic: Defense Evasion
- Rule Type: BBR
- Data Source: Elastic Defend
- Data Source: Elastic Endgame
Version: 103
Rule authors:
- Elastic
Rule license: Elastic License v2
Rule query
editprocess where host.os.type == "windows" and event.action == "start" and process.name : "msiexec.exe" and user.id : ("S-1-5-21*", "S-1-12-*") and process.parent.executable != null and ( (process.args : "/i" and process.args : ("/q", "/quiet") and process.args_count == 4 and process.args : ("?:\\Users\\*", "?:\\ProgramData\\*") and not process.parent.executable : ("?:\\Program Files (x86)\\*.exe", "?:\\Program Files\\*.exe", "?:\\Windows\\explorer.exe", "?:\\Users\\*\\Desktop\\*", "?:\\Users\\*\\Downloads\\*", "?:\\programdata\\*")) or (process.args_count == 1 and not process.parent.executable : ("?:\\Windows\\explorer.exe", "?:\\Windows\\SysWOW64\\explorer.exe")) or (process.args : "/i" and process.args : ("/q", "/quiet") and process.args_count == 4 and (process.parent.args : "Schedule" or process.parent.name : "wmiprvse.exe" or process.parent.executable : "?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\*" or (process.parent.name : ("powershell.exe", "cmd.exe") and length(process.parent.command_line) >= 200))) or (process.args : "/i" and process.args : ("/q", "/quiet") and process.args_count == 4 and ?process.working_directory : "?:\\" and process.parent.name : ("cmd.exe", "powershell.exe")) ) and /* noisy pattern */ not (process.parent.executable : "?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\*" and ?process.parent.args_count >= 2 and process.args : "?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\*\\*.msi") and not process.args : ("?:\\Program Files (x86)\\*", "?:\\Program Files\\*")
Framework: MITRE ATT&CKTM
-
Tactic:
- Name: Defense Evasion
- ID: TA0005
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0005/
-
Technique:
- Name: System Binary Proxy Execution
- ID: T1218
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1218/
-
Sub-technique:
- Name: Msiexec
- ID: T1218.007
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1218/007/