Detection rules › YARA-L

YARA-L rules: 3j

PowerShell DownloadFile

#
Severity
high
Type
Detection
Time window
5m
Match by
hostname
Author
Florian Roth (Nextron Systems)
Source
github.com/chronicle/detection-rules

Detects the execution of powershell, a WebClient object creation and the invocation of DownloadFile in a single command line

Known False Positives

  • Unknown

MITRE ATT&CK Coverage

References

Telemetry Coverage

Rule Body

// Copyright 2025 Google LLC. Licensed under Apache-2.0.

rule powershell_downloadfile {

  meta:
    author = "Florian Roth (Nextron Systems)"
    description = "Detects the execution of powershell, a WebClient object creation and the invocation of DownloadFile in a single command line"
    reference = "https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_powershell_susp_ps_downloadfile.yml"
    license = "https://github.com/SigmaHQ/Detection-Rule-License/blob/main/LICENSE.Detection.Rules.md"
    rule_name = "PowerShell DownloadFile"
    sigma_uuid = "8f70ac5f-1f6f-4f8e-b454-db19561216c5"
    sigma_status = "test"
    rule_id = "mr_aabbd11f-06fb-41fb-a15c-a226a4bf20e2"
    tactic = "TA0002"
    technique = "T1059.001"
    type = "Detection"
    data_source = "Sysmon"
    platform = "Windows"
    severity = "High"
    priority = "High"
    false_positives = "Unknown"

  events:
    $process.metadata.event_type = "PROCESS_LAUNCH"
    (
        strings.contains(strings.to_lower($process.target.process.command_line), "powershell") and
        strings.contains(strings.to_lower($process.target.process.command_line), ".downloadfile") and
        strings.contains(strings.to_lower($process.target.process.command_line), "system.net.webclient")
    )
    $process.principal.hostname = $hostname

  match:
    $hostname over 5m

  outcome:
    //example usage of specifying test user and hostname to adjust risk score
    $risk_score = max(if($process.principal.user.userid = "user" and $process.principal.hostname = "hostname", 0, 15))
    $principal_process_pid = array_distinct($process.principal.process.pid)
    $principal_process_command_line = array_distinct($process.principal.process.command_line)
    $principal_process_file_sha256 = array_distinct($process.principal.process.file.sha256)
    $principal_process_file_full_path = array_distinct($process.principal.process.file.full_path)
    $principal_process_product_specfic_process_id = array_distinct($process.principal.process.product_specific_process_id)
    $principal_process_parent_process_product_specfic_process_id = array_distinct($process.principal.process.parent_process.product_specific_process_id)
    $target_process_pid = array_distinct($process.target.process.pid)
    $target_process_command_line = array_distinct($process.target.process.command_line)
    $target_process_file_sha256 = array_distinct($process.target.process.file.sha256)
    $target_process_file_full_path = array_distinct($process.target.process.file.full_path)
    $target_process_product_specfic_process_id = array_distinct($process.target.process.product_specific_process_id)
    $principal_user_userid = array_distinct($process.principal.user.userid)
    $log_type = array_distinct(strings.concat($process.metadata.log_type,"/",$process.metadata.product_event_type))

  condition:
    $process
}

YARA-L Rule Structure

Condition

Fires when at least one $process event in the 5m window.

Events

$process PROCESS_LAUNCH (1, 4688)

  • target.process.command_line contains "powershell"
  • target.process.command_line contains ".downloadfile"
  • target.process.command_line contains "system.net.webclient"

Match and Correlation

Match key
$hostname (principal.hostname)
Within
5m

Outcome

Outcome variables add context to a detection. When the rule generates an alert, $risk_score is displayed with it.

FieldExpression
risk_scoremax(if($process.principal.user.userid = "user" and $process.principal.hostname = "hostname", 0, 15))
principal_process_pidarray_distinct($process.principal.process.pid)
principal_process_command_linearray_distinct($process.principal.process.command_line)
principal_process_file_sha256array_distinct($process.principal.process.file.sha256)
principal_process_file_full_patharray_distinct($process.principal.process.file.full_path)
principal_process_product_specfic_process_idarray_distinct($process.principal.process.product_specific_process_id)
principal_process_parent_process_product_specfic_process_idarray_distinct($process.principal.process.parent_process.product_specific_process_id)
target_process_pidarray_distinct($process.target.process.pid)
target_process_command_linearray_distinct($process.target.process.command_line)
target_process_file_sha256array_distinct($process.target.process.file.sha256)
target_process_file_full_patharray_distinct($process.target.process.file.full_path)
target_process_product_specfic_process_idarray_distinct($process.target.process.product_specific_process_id)
principal_user_useridarray_distinct($process.principal.user.userid)
log_typearray_distinct(strings.concat($process.metadata.log_type,"/",$process.metadata.product_event_type))

Windows Short Term Account Use

#
Severity
medium
Type
alert
Time window
4h
Match by
targetUser
Author
Google Cloud Security
Source
github.com/chronicle/detection-rules

Detects the creation, login, and deletion of a user account over a predefined timeframe

Telemetry Coverage

Rule Body

// Copyright 2023 Google LLC. Licensed under Apache-2.0.

rule win_short_term_account_use {

  meta:
    author = "Google Cloud Security"
    description = "Detects the creation, login, and deletion of a user account over a predefined timeframe"
    rule_id = "mr_ac28ce76-8197-4354-af0d-d77c5771d9df"
    rule_name = "Windows Short Term Account Use"
    type = "alert"
    platform = "windows"
    data_source = "microsoft windows events"
    severity = "Medium"
    priority = "Medium"

  events:
    $create.metadata.event_type = "USER_CREATION"
    $create.target.user.userid = $targetUser

    $create.metadata.event_timestamp.seconds < $login.metadata.event_timestamp.seconds

    $login.metadata.event_type = "USER_LOGIN"
    //Focus is on Windows login events with this event code but could be modified for other platforms as well
    $login.metadata.product_event_type = "4624"
    $login.target.user.userid = $targetUser

    $login.metadata.event_timestamp.seconds < $delete.metadata.event_timestamp.seconds

    $delete.metadata.event_type = "USER_DELETION"
    $delete.target.user.userid = $targetUser

  match:
    $targetUser over 4h

  outcome:
    $risk_score = 65
    $event_count = count_distinct($login.metadata.id)
    // added to populate alert graph with additional context
    $principal_hostname = array_distinct($login.principal.hostname)
    $src_hostname = array_distinct($login.src.hostname)
    $src_ip = array_distinct($login.src.ip)
    $principal_user_userid = array_distinct($login.principal.user.userid)
    $principal_user_employee_id = array_distinct($login.principal.user.employee_id)
    // principal_process_id for each of the three types of events
    $user_creation_process_id = array_distinct($create.principal.process.pid)
    $user_login_process_id = array_distinct($login.principal.process.pid)
    $user_deletion_process_id = array_distinct($delete.principal.process.pid)
    $target_process_file_full_path = array_distinct($login.target.process.file.full_path)
    // Commented out target.user.userid because it is already represented in graph as match variable. If match changes, can uncomment to add to results
    //$target_user_userid = array_distinct($login.target.user.userid)
    $principal_resource_name = array_distinct($login.principal.resource.name)
    $target_resource_name = array_distinct($login.target.resource.name)
    $target_url = array_distinct($login.target.url)

  condition:
    $create and $login and $delete

}

YARA-L Rule Structure

Condition

Fires when at least one $create event in the 4h window and at least one $login event in the 4h window and at least one $delete event in the 4h window.

Events

$create USER_CREATION (4720)

No field filters (binds the event for correlation only).

$login USER_LOGIN (4624)

  • metadata.product_event_type = "4624"

$delete USER_DELETION (4726)

No field filters (binds the event for correlation only).

Match and Correlation

Order
$create before $login; $login before $delete
Match key
$targetUser (target.user.userid)
Within
4h

Outcome

Outcome variables add context to a detection. When the rule generates an alert, $risk_score is displayed with it.

FieldExpression
risk_score65
event_countcount_distinct($login.metadata.id)
principal_hostnamearray_distinct($login.principal.hostname)
src_hostnamearray_distinct($login.src.hostname)
src_iparray_distinct($login.src.ip)
principal_user_useridarray_distinct($login.principal.user.userid)
principal_user_employee_idarray_distinct($login.principal.user.employee_id)
user_creation_process_idarray_distinct($create.principal.process.pid)
user_login_process_idarray_distinct($login.principal.process.pid)
user_deletion_process_idarray_distinct($delete.principal.process.pid)
target_process_file_full_patharray_distinct($login.target.process.file.full_path)
principal_resource_namearray_distinct($login.principal.resource.name)
target_resource_namearray_distinct($login.target.resource.name)
target_urlarray_distinct($login.target.url)

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