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Program Files Directory Masquerading
editProgram Files Directory Masquerading
editIdentifies execution from a directory masquerading as the Windows Program Files directories. These paths are trusted and usually host trusted third party programs. An adversary may leverage masquerading, along with low privileges to bypass detections allowlisting those folders.
Rule type: eql
Rule indices:
- winlogbeat-*
- logs-endpoint.events.*
- logs-windows.*
- endgame-*
Severity: medium
Risk score: 47
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
- Elastic Endgame
Version: 101 (version history)
Added (Elastic Stack release): 7.11.0
Last modified (Elastic Stack release): 8.6.0
Rule authors: Elastic
Rule license: Elastic License v2
Investigation guide
editRule query
editprocess where event.type == "start" and process.executable : "C:\\*Program*Files*\\*.exe" and not process.executable : ("C:\\Program Files\\*.exe", "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\*.exe", "C:\\Users\\*.exe", "C:\\ProgramData\\*.exe")
Threat mapping
editFramework: 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/
Rule version history
edit- Version 101 (8.6.0 release)
-
- Formatting only
- Version 100 (8.5.0 release)
-
- Formatting only
- Version 9 (8.4.0 release)
-
- Formatting only
- Version 7 (8.2.0 release)
-
- Formatting only
- Version 6 (8.1.0 release)
-
- Formatting only
- Version 5 (7.16.0 release)
-
- Formatting only
- Version 4 (7.13.0 release)
-
-
Updated query, changed from:
process where event.type in ("start", "process_started", "info") and /* capture both fake program files directory in process executable as well as if passed in process args as a dll*/ process.args : ("C:\\*Program*Files*\\*", "C:\\*Program*Files*\\*") and not process.args : ("C:\\Program Files\\*", "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\*")
-
- Version 3 (7.12.0 release)
-
- Formatting only
- Version 2 (7.11.2 release)
-
- Formatting only