Detection rules › Elastic
Windows Script Executed From a Suspicious Path
Identifies execution of a Windows script from downloads or desktop folders followed by spawning a child process or performing an outgoing network connection to the internet.
MITRE ATT&CK coverage
Rule body
[rule]
description = """
Identifies execution of a Windows script from downloads or desktop folders followed by spawning a child process or
performing an outgoing network connection to the internet.
"""
id = "21066b21-0555-45df-b090-d4051d2d88bd"
license = "Elastic License v2"
name = "Windows Script Executed From a Suspicious Path"
os_list = ["windows"]
version = "1.0.3"
query = '''
sequence with maxspan=5m
[process where event.action == "start" and
process.name in~ ("wscript.exe", "mshta.exe") and
process.args : ("?:\\Users\\*\\Downloads\\*", "?:\\Users\\*\\Desktop\\*", "?:\\Users\\*\\Documents\\*")] as event0
[any where
/* script utility perform an egress connection to the internet */
(event.category == "network" and event.action in ("disconnect_received", "connection_attempted") and
process.name in~ ("wscript.exe", "mshta.exe", "hh.exe", "mmc.exe") and
process.entity_id == event0.process.entity_id and
not cidrmatch(destination.ip, "10.0.0.0/8", "127.0.0.0/8", "169.254.0.0/16", "172.16.0.0/12", "192.0.0.0/24",
"192.0.0.0/29", "192.0.0.8/32", "192.0.0.9/32", "192.0.0.10/32", "192.0.0.170/32", "192.0.0.171/32",
"192.0.2.0/24", "192.31.196.0/24", "192.52.193.0/24", "192.88.99.0/24", "224.0.0.0/4", "192.168.0.0/16",
"100.64.0.0/10", "192.175.48.0/24","198.18.0.0/15", "198.51.100.0/24", "203.0.113.0/24", "240.0.0.0/4", "::1",
"FE80::/10", "FF00::/8")) or
/* script utility spawn a child process */
(event.category == "process" and event.action == "start" and process.parent.name : "explorer.exe" and
process.parent.name in~ ("wscript.exe", "mshta.exe") and process.parent.entity_id == event0.process.entity_id)
]
'''
min_endpoint_version = "8.4.0"
[[actions]]
action = "kill_process"
field = "process.entity_id"
state = 0
tree = true
[[actions]]
action = "kill_process"
field = "process.entity_id"
state = 1
tree = true
[[optional_actions]]
action = "rollback"
field = "process.entity_id"
state = 0
[[threat]]
framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"
[[threat.technique]]
id = "T1059"
name = "Command and Scripting Interpreter"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/"
[[threat.technique.subtechnique]]
id = "T1059.005"
name = "Visual Basic"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/005/"
[[threat.technique.subtechnique]]
id = "T1059.007"
name = "JavaScript"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/007/"
[threat.tactic]
id = "TA0002"
name = "Execution"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0002/"
[[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 = "T1218.005"
name = "Mshta"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1218/005/"
[threat.tactic]
id = "TA0005"
name = "Defense Evasion"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0005/"
[internal]
min_endpoint_version = "8.4.0"
Stages and Predicates
Stage 1: process
[process where event.action == "start" and
process.name in~ ("wscript.exe", "mshta.exe") and
process.args : ("?:\\Users\\*\\Downloads\\*", "?:\\Users\\*\\Desktop\\*", "?:\\Users\\*\\Documents\\*")] as event0
Stage 2: any
[any where
(event.category == "network" and event.action in ("disconnect_received", "connection_attempted") and
process.name in~ ("wscript.exe", "mshta.exe", "hh.exe", "mmc.exe") and
process.entity_id == event0.process.entity_id and
not cidrmatch(destination.ip, "10.0.0.0/8", "127.0.0.0/8", "169.254.0.0/16", "172.16.0.0/12", "192.0.0.0/24",
"192.0.0.0/29", "192.0.0.8/32", "192.0.0.9/32", "192.0.0.10/32", "192.0.0.170/32", "192.0.0.171/32",
"192.0.2.0/24", "192.31.196.0/24", "192.52.193.0/24", "192.88.99.0/24", "224.0.0.0/4", "192.168.0.0/16",
"100.64.0.0/10", "192.175.48.0/24","198.18.0.0/15", "198.51.100.0/24", "203.0.113.0/24", "240.0.0.0/4", "::1",
"FE80::/10", "FF00::/8")) or
(event.category == "process" and event.action == "start" and process.parent.name : "explorer.exe" and
process.parent.name in~ ("wscript.exe", "mshta.exe") and process.parent.entity_id == event0.process.entity_id)
]
Indicators
These rows show field, operator, and value matches.
| Field | Kind | Values | Search |
|---|---|---|---|
event.action | eq |
| field:"EventType" kind:eq value:"start" |
event.action | in |
| field:"EventType" kind:in |
event.category | eq |
| field:"event.category" kind:eq |
process.args | wildcard |
| field:"process.args" kind:wildcard |
process.entity_id | eq |
| field:"process_guid" kind:eq value:"event0.process.entity_id" |
process.name | in |
| field:"process_name" kind:in |
process.parent.entity_id | eq |
| field:"parent_process_guid" kind:eq value:"event0.process.entity_id" |
process.parent.name | in |
| field:"parent_process_name" kind:in |
process.parent.name | wildcard |
| field:"parent_process_name" kind:wildcard value:"explorer.exe" |