Detection rules › YARA-L
ShimCache Flush
Detects actions that clear the local ShimCache and remove forensic evidence
Known false positives
- Unknown
MITRE ATT&CK coverage
| Tactic | Techniques |
|---|---|
| Persistence | |
| Defense Impairment |
References
Telemetry coverage
| Provider | Record / event type |
|---|---|
| Sysmon | Event ID 1: Process creation |
| Security-Auditing | Event ID 4688: A new process has been created. |
Rule body
// Copyright 2025 Google LLC. Licensed under Apache-2.0.
rule shimcache_flush {
meta:
author = "Florian Roth (Nextron Systems)"
description = "Detects actions that clear the local ShimCache and remove forensic evidence"
reference = "https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_rundll32_susp_shimcache_flush.yml"
license = "https://github.com/SigmaHQ/Detection-Rule-License/blob/main/LICENSE.Detection.Rules.md"
rule_name = "ShimCache Flush"
rule_id = "mr_5f6699e1-0518-4664-85aa-9a716f0d4dd6"
sigma_uuid = "b0524451-19af-4efa-a46f-562a977f792e"
sigma_status = "stable"
tactic = "TA0005"
//tactic = "TA0008"
//technique = "T1021.001"
technique = "T1112"
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), "rundll32") and
strings.contains(strings.to_lower($process.target.process.command_line), "apphelp.dll")
)
and
(
strings.contains(strings.to_lower($process.target.process.command_line), "shimflushcache") or
strings.contains($process.target.process.command_line, "#250")
)
)
or
(
(
strings.contains(strings.to_lower($process.target.process.command_line), "rundll32") and
strings.contains(strings.to_lower($process.target.process.command_line), "kernel32.dll")
)
and
(
strings.contains(strings.to_lower($process.target.process.command_line), "baseflushappcompatcache") or
strings.contains($process.target.process.command_line, "#46")
)
)
$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
target.process.command_line contains "rundll32"target.process.command_line contains "apphelp.dll"target.process.command_line contains "shimflushcache"target.process.command_line contains "#250"target.process.command_line contains "rundll32"target.process.command_line contains "kernel32.dll"target.process.command_line contains "baseflushappcompatcache"target.process.command_line contains "#46"
Match and correlation
Outcome
Outcome variables add context to a detection. When the rule generates an alert, $risk_score is displayed with it.
| Field | Expression |
|---|---|
risk_score | max(if($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)) |