Detection rules › Elastic

Embedded Payload Dropped and Executed

Time window
10s
Sequence by
Effective_process.entity_id, process.parent.entity_id
Source
github.com/elastic/protections-artifacts

Detects when an executable file is modified in a temporary directory and immediately executed. We have observed several samples that bring additional payloads within their application structure or that embed another payload within their applications main binary dropping these payloads in the temporary directory and immediately executing them.

MITRE ATT&CK coverage

Telemetry coverage

Rule body

[rule]
description = """
Detects when an executable file is modified in a temporary directory and immediately executed. We have observed several
samples that bring additional payloads within their application structure or that embed another payload within their
applications main binary dropping these payloads in the temporary directory and immediately executing them.
"""
id = "ec3abfa9-499a-40d7-a23d-413ce878db10"
license = "Elastic License v2"
name = "Embedded Payload Dropped and Executed"
os_list = ["macos"]
version = "1.0.7"

query = '''
sequence with maxspan=10s
[file where event.action == "modification" and file.Ext.header_bytes like~ ("cffaedfe*", "cafebabe*") and
  file.path like~ ("/tmp/*", "/private/tmp/*", "/Users/Shared/*") and
  not process.executable like~ "/Library/Developer/*"] by Effective_process.entity_id
[process where event.type == "start" and event.action == "exec" and process.executable like~ ("/tmp/*", "/private/tmp/*", "/Users/Shared/*") and process.args_count == 1] by process.parent.entity_id
'''

min_endpoint_version = "8.11.0"
optional_actions = []
[[actions]]
action = "kill_process"
field = "process.entity_id"
state = 1

[[actions]]
action = "kill_process"
field = "process.parent.entity_id"
state = 1

[[threat]]
framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"
[[threat.technique]]
id = "T1027"
name = "Obfuscated Files or Information"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1027/"
[[threat.technique.subtechnique]]
id = "T1027.009"
name = "Embedded Payloads"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1027/009/"



[threat.tactic]
id = "TA0005"
name = "Defense Evasion"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0005/"

[internal]
min_endpoint_version = "8.11.0"

Stages and Predicates

Ordered sequence: each step below must occur in order within 10s, correlated by Effective_process.entity_id, process.parent.entity_id.

Stage 1: file

[file where event.action == "modification" and file.Ext.header_bytes like~ ("cffaedfe*", "cafebabe*") and
  file.path like~ ("/tmp/*", "/private/tmp/*", "/Users/Shared/*") and
  not process.executable like~ "/Library/Developer/*"] by Effective_process.entity_id

Stage 2: process

[process where event.type == "start" and event.action == "exec" and process.executable like~ ("/tmp/*", "/private/tmp/*", "/Users/Shared/*") and process.args_count == 1] by process.parent.entity_id

Exclusions

The rule actively suppresses these predicates.

FieldKindExcluded valuesSearch
process.executablestarts_with/Library/Developer/excludes:process.executable field:"process.executable" value:"/Library/Developer/"

Indicators

These rows show field, operator, and value matches.