Potential Evasion via ClipUp Execution

[rule]
description = """
Identifies the execution of the ClipUp process from an unusual parent and with the -ppl argument. This may indicate an
attempt to overwrite protected files to tamper with endpoint security solutions.
"""
id = "af6ca1a9-650f-4984-b83d-fc0a3b118c74"
license = "Elastic License v2"
name = "Potential Evasion via ClipUp Execution"
os_list = ["windows"]
reference = ["https://www.zerosalarium.com/2025/08/countering-edrs-with-backing-of-ppl-protection.html"]
version = "1.0.3"

query = '''
process where event.action == "start" and
 process.executable : "?:\\Windows\\System32\\ClipUp.exe" and process.args : "-ppl" and process.Ext.protection like "PsProtectedSigner*" and
 not process.parent.executable : ("?:\\Windows\\System32\\ClipUp.exe", "?:\\Windows\\System32\\smss.exe", "?:\\Windows\\System32\\conhost.exe") and
 process.parent.executable != null
'''

min_endpoint_version = "8.0.0"
[[actions]]
action = "kill_process"
field = "process.parent.entity_id"
state = 0
tree = true

[[optional_actions]]
action = "rollback"
field = "process.entity_id"
state = 0

[[threat]]
framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"
[[threat.technique]]
id = "T1562"
name = "Impair Defenses"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1562/"


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

[internal]
min_endpoint_version = "8.0.0"