Detection rules › YARA-L

Domain Prevalence

Severity
low
Type
alert
Time window
5m
Match by
domain
Author
Google Cloud Security
Source
github.com/chronicle/detection-rules

Detects DNS events querying domains that have a low rolling max prevalence.

Telemetry coverage

ProviderRecord / event type
SysmonEvent ID 22: DNSEvent (DNS query)

Rule body

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

rule domain_prevalence {

  meta:
    author = "Google Cloud Security"
    description = "Detects DNS events querying domains that have a low rolling max prevalence."
    rule_id = "mr_cf5dd851-d7e9-42b8-baf9-f4527ab61bf3"
    rule_name = "Domain Prevalence"
    type = "alert"
    tags = "prevalence"
    data_source = "extrahop, tanium, microsoft sysmon, gcp dns, crowdstrike"
    severity = "Low"
    priority = "Low"

  events:
    $dns.metadata.event_type = "NETWORK_DNS"
    $dns.network.dns.questions.name = $domain

    // derived from events ingested by Chronicle
    $prevalence.graph.metadata.entity_type = "DOMAIN_NAME"
    $prevalence.graph.metadata.source_type = "DERIVED_CONTEXT"
    $prevalence.graph.entity.hostname = $domain
    $prevalence.graph.entity.domain.prevalence.day_count = 10
    $prevalence.graph.entity.domain.prevalence.rolling_max <= 3
    $prevalence.graph.entity.domain.prevalence.rolling_max > 0

  match:
    $domain over 5m

  outcome:
    $risk_score = max(35)
    $event_count = count_distinct($dns.metadata.id)
    $network_dns_questions_name = array_distinct($dns.network.dns.questions.name)
    $network_dns_answers_data = array_distinct($dns.network.dns.answers.data)
    // added to populate alert graph with additional context
    $principal_ip = array_distinct($dns.principal.ip)
    $target_ip = array_distinct($dns.target.ip)
    $principal_process_pid = array_distinct($dns.principal.process.pid)
    $principal_process_file_full_path = array_distinct($dns.principal.process.file.full_path)
    $principal_process_product_specific_process_id = array_distinct($dns.principal.process.product_specific_process_id)
    $principal_process_command_line = array_distinct($dns.principal.process.command_line)
    $principal_process_file_sha256 = array_distinct($dns.principal.process.file.sha256)
    $principal_process_parent_process_product_specific_process_id = array_distinct($dns.principal.process.parent_process.product_specific_process_id)
    $principal_user_userid = array_distinct($dns.principal.user.userid)


  condition:
    $dns and $prevalence
}

YARA-L rule structure

Condition

Fires when at least one $dns event in the 5m window and $prevalence matches entity context.

Events

$dns NETWORK_DNS (22)

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

$prevalence entity context (DOMAIN_NAME)

  • graph.metadata.entity_type = "DOMAIN_NAME"
  • graph.metadata.source_type = "DERIVED_CONTEXT"
  • graph.entity.domain.prevalence.day_count = "10"
  • graph.entity.domain.prevalence.rolling_max <= "3"
  • graph.entity.domain.prevalence.rolling_max > "0"

Match and correlation

Match key
$domain (network.dns.questions.name)
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(35)
event_countcount_distinct($dns.metadata.id)
network_dns_questions_namearray_distinct($dns.network.dns.questions.name)
network_dns_answers_dataarray_distinct($dns.network.dns.answers.data)
principal_iparray_distinct($dns.principal.ip)
target_iparray_distinct($dns.target.ip)
principal_process_pidarray_distinct($dns.principal.process.pid)
principal_process_file_full_patharray_distinct($dns.principal.process.file.full_path)
principal_process_product_specific_process_idarray_distinct($dns.principal.process.product_specific_process_id)
principal_process_command_linearray_distinct($dns.principal.process.command_line)
principal_process_file_sha256array_distinct($dns.principal.process.file.sha256)
principal_process_parent_process_product_specific_process_idarray_distinct($dns.principal.process.parent_process.product_specific_process_id)
principal_user_useridarray_distinct($dns.principal.user.userid)