Detection rules › Elastic

Keystrokes Input Capture via SetWindowsHookEx

Time window
1m
Sequence by
process.entity_id
Source
github.com/elastic/protections-artifacts

Identifies attempts to install an application-defined hook procedure to monitor keystroke messages. Adversaries may log user keystrokes to intercept credentials or other information from the user as the user types them.

MITRE ATT&CK coverage

TacticTechniques
Collection

Rule body

[rule]
description = """
Identifies attempts to install an application-defined hook procedure to monitor keystroke messages. Adversaries may log
user keystrokes to intercept credentials or other information from the user as the user types them.
"""
id = "a7e3958f-3f07-495a-8b2f-2a1d342c943f"
license = "Elastic License v2"
name = "Keystrokes Input Capture via SetWindowsHookEx"
os_list = ["windows"]
reference = [
    "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1056/001/",
    "https://www.elastic.co/security-labs/protecting-your-devices-from-information-theft-keylogger-protection",
]
version = "1.0.3"

query = '''
sequence by process.entity_id with maxspan=1m
[process where event.action == "start" and
 (process.Ext.relative_file_creation_time <= 900 or process.Ext.relative_file_name_modify_time <= 900) and
 (process.code_signature.trusted == false or process.code_signature.exists == false) and
 not user.id : ("S-1-5-18", "s-1-5-19", "S-1-5-20") and
 not process.hash.sha256 :
               ("fd47875b3f3fb8f3c0ff83c148d94c0794aa4686a0495ed9006b2dbe23feb958",
                "eca768e56ce3ab01984ab0e7e1401515a0a36b7380fed2b175b17a98b2bea6b8")]
[api where
  process.Ext.api.name == "SetWindowsHookEx" and process.Ext.api.parameters.hook_type == "WH_KEYBOARD_LL" and
  process.thread.Ext.call_stack_final_user_module.name == "Unknown" and
  not process.Ext.api.parameters.hook_module :
                     ("?:\\Program Files\\*", "?:\\Program Files (x86)\\*", "?:\\Windows\\*")]
'''

min_endpoint_version = "8.10.0"
optional_actions = []
reputation = true
[[actions]]
action = "kill_process"
field = "process.entity_id"
state = 0

[[threat]]
framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"
[[threat.technique]]
id = "T1056"
name = "Input Capture"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1056/"
[[threat.technique.subtechnique]]
id = "T1056.001"
name = "Keylogging"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1056/001/"



[threat.tactic]
id = "TA0009"
name = "Collection"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0009/"

[internal]
min_endpoint_version = "8.10.0"

Stages and Predicates

Ordered sequence: each step below must occur in order within 1m, correlated by process.entity_id.

Stage 1: process

[process where event.action == "start" and
 (process.Ext.relative_file_creation_time <= 900 or process.Ext.relative_file_name_modify_time <= 900) and
 (process.code_signature.trusted == false or process.code_signature.exists == false) and
 not user.id : ("S-1-5-18", "s-1-5-19", "S-1-5-20") and
 not process.hash.sha256 :
               ("fd47875b3f3fb8f3c0ff83c148d94c0794aa4686a0495ed9006b2dbe23feb958",
                "eca768e56ce3ab01984ab0e7e1401515a0a36b7380fed2b175b17a98b2bea6b8")]

Stage 2: api

[api where
  process.Ext.api.name == "SetWindowsHookEx" and process.Ext.api.parameters.hook_type == "WH_KEYBOARD_LL" and
  process.thread.Ext.call_stack_final_user_module.name == "Unknown" and
  not process.Ext.api.parameters.hook_module :
                     ("?:\\Program Files\\*", "?:\\Program Files (x86)\\*", "?:\\Windows\\*")]

Exclusions

The rule actively suppresses these predicates.

Indicators

These rows show field, operator, and value matches.