Detection rules › Elastic
Suspicious ImageLoad via ODBC Driver Configuration Program
Identifies abuse of the ODBC Driver Configuration Program to load an arbitrary DLL. This behavior is used as a defense evasion technique to blend-in malicious activity with legitimate Windows software.
MITRE ATT&CK coverage
| Tactic | Techniques |
|---|---|
| Stealth |
Rule body
[rule]
description = """
Identifies abuse of the ODBC Driver Configuration Program to load an arbitrary DLL. This behavior is used as a defense
evasion technique to blend-in malicious activity with legitimate Windows software.
"""
id = "1faebe83-38d7-4390-b6bd-9c6b851e47c4"
license = "Elastic License v2"
name = "Suspicious ImageLoad via ODBC Driver Configuration Program"
os_list = ["windows"]
reference = ["https://lolbas-project.github.io/lolbas/Binaries/Odbcconf/"]
version = "1.0.27"
query = '''
process where event.action == "start" and
(process.pe.original_file_name == "odbcconf.exe" or process.name : "odbcconf.exe") and
process.args : ("-a", "-f", "/a", "/f") and
not (process.args : "?:\\Windows\\SysWOW64\\ODBCCONF.RSP" and process.parent.name : "InstallManager.exe") and
not (process.args : "{CONFIGSYSDSN*" and process.Ext.token.integrity_level_name : ("high", "system")) and
not process.args: ("SQL Server", "C:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\odbcconf.tmp")
'''
min_endpoint_version = "7.15.0"
[[actions]]
action = "kill_process"
field = "process.entity_id"
state = 0
[[optional_actions]]
action = "rollback"
field = "process.entity_id"
state = 0
[[threat]]
framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"
[[threat.technique]]
id = "T1218"
name = "System Binary Proxy Execution"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1218/"
[[threat.technique.subtechnique]]
id = "T1218.008"
name = "Odbcconf"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1218/008/"
[threat.tactic]
id = "TA0005"
name = "Defense Evasion"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0005/"
[internal]
min_endpoint_version = "7.15.0"
Stages and Predicates
Stage 1: process
process where event.action == "start" and
(process.pe.original_file_name == "odbcconf.exe" or process.name : "odbcconf.exe") and
process.args : ("-a", "-f", "/a", "/f") and
not (process.args : "?:\\Windows\\SysWOW64\\ODBCCONF.RSP" and process.parent.name : "InstallManager.exe") and
not (process.args : "{CONFIGSYSDSN*" and process.Ext.token.integrity_level_name : ("high", "system")) and
not process.args: ("SQL Server", "C:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\odbcconf.tmp")
Exclusions
The rule actively suppresses these predicates.
| Field | Kind | Excluded values | Search |
|---|---|---|---|
process.Ext.token.integrity_level_name | eq | high, system | excludes:process.Ext.token.integrity_level_name field:"process.Ext.token.integrity_level_name" value:"high" field:"process.Ext.token.integrity_level_name" value:"system" |
process.args | starts_with | {CONFIGSYSDSN | excludes:process.args field:"process.args" value:"{CONFIGSYSDSN" |
process.args | eq | ?:\Windows\SysWOW64\ODBCCONF.RSP | excludes:process.args field:"process.args" value:"?:\Windows\SysWOW64\ODBCCONF.RSP" |
process.parent.name | eq | InstallManager.exe | excludes:process.parent.name field:"process.parent.name" value:"InstallManager.exe" |
process.args | eq | SQL Server, C:\WINDOWS\system32\odbcconf.tmp | excludes:process.args field:"process.args" value:"SQL Server" field:"process.args" value:"C:\WINDOWS\system32\odbcconf.tmp" |
Indicators
These rows show field, operator, and value matches.
| Field | Kind | Values | Search |
|---|---|---|---|
event.action | eq |
| field:"EventType" kind:eq value:"start" |
process.args | wildcard |
| field:"process.args" kind:wildcard |
process.name | wildcard |
| field:"process_name" kind:wildcard value:"odbcconf.exe" |
process.pe.original_file_name | eq |
| field:"OriginalFileName" kind:eq value:"odbcconf.exe" |