Detection rules › Elastic
Inhibit System Recovery via Signed Binary Proxy
Identifies the execution of Windows utilities to tamper with system recovery settings. Adversaries may delete or remove built-in operating system data and turn off services designed to aid in the recovery of a corrupted system and prevent recovery.
MITRE ATT&CK coverage
Rule body
[rule]
description = """
Identifies the execution of Windows utilities to tamper with system recovery settings. Adversaries may delete or remove
built-in operating system data and turn off services designed to aid in the recovery of a corrupted system and prevent
recovery.
"""
id = "740ad26d-3e67-47e1-aff1-adb47a697375"
license = "Elastic License v2"
name = "Inhibit System Recovery via Signed Binary Proxy"
os_list = ["windows"]
version = "1.0.32"
query = '''
process where event.action == "start" and
descendant of [process where event.action == "start" and
process.name:
(
"rundll32.exe",
"cscript.exe",
"wscript.exe",
"regsvr32.exe",
"regasm.exe",
"regsvcs.exe",
"installutil.exe",
"mshta.exe",
"cmstp.exe",
"msxsl.exe",
"Microsoft.Workflow.Compiler.exe",
"ieexec.exe",
"iexpress.exe"
)]
and
(
(process.pe.original_file_name : "wmic.exe" and process.command_line : "*shadowcopy*" and
process.command_line : "*delete*") or
(process.pe.original_file_name : "vssadmin.exe" and process.command_line : "*shadows*" and
process.command_line : ("*delete*", "*resize*401*")) or
(process.pe.original_file_name : "bcdedit.exe" and process.command_line : ("*bootstatuspolicy*", "*recoveryenabled*")) or
(process.pe.original_file_name : "wbadmin.exe" and process.command_line : ("*catalog*", "*systemstatebackup*") and process.command_line : "*delete*")
) and
not (process.name : "vssadmin.exe" and process.args : "Resize" and process.parent.executable : "?:\\Program Files\\Geni\\Insights\\GsAgent.exe")
'''
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 = "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.tactic]
id = "TA0002"
name = "Execution"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0002/"
[[threat]]
framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"
[[threat.technique]]
id = "T1216"
name = "System Script Proxy Execution"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1216/"
[[threat.technique]]
id = "T1218"
name = "System Binary Proxy Execution"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1218/"
[[threat.technique.subtechnique]]
id = "T1218.003"
name = "CMSTP"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1218/003/"
[[threat.technique.subtechnique]]
id = "T1218.004"
name = "InstallUtil"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1218/004/"
[[threat.technique.subtechnique]]
id = "T1218.005"
name = "Mshta"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1218/005/"
[[threat.technique.subtechnique]]
id = "T1218.009"
name = "Regsvcs/Regasm"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1218/009/"
[[threat.technique.subtechnique]]
id = "T1218.010"
name = "Regsvr32"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1218/010/"
[[threat.technique.subtechnique]]
id = "T1218.011"
name = "Rundll32"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1218/011/"
[[threat.technique]]
id = "T1220"
name = "XSL Script Processing"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1220/"
[threat.tactic]
id = "TA0005"
name = "Defense Evasion"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0005/"
[[threat]]
framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"
[[threat.technique]]
id = "T1490"
name = "Inhibit System Recovery"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1490/"
[threat.tactic]
id = "TA0040"
name = "Impact"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0040/"
[internal]
min_endpoint_version = "7.15.0"
Stages and Predicates
Stage 1: process
process where event.action == "start" and
descendant of [process where event.action == "start" and
process.name:
(
"rundll32.exe",
"cscript.exe",
"wscript.exe",
"regsvr32.exe",
"regasm.exe",
"regsvcs.exe",
"installutil.exe",
"mshta.exe",
"cmstp.exe",
"msxsl.exe",
"Microsoft.Workflow.Compiler.exe",
"ieexec.exe",
"iexpress.exe"
)]
and
(
(process.pe.original_file_name : "wmic.exe" and process.command_line : "*shadowcopy*" and
process.command_line : "*delete*") or
(process.pe.original_file_name : "vssadmin.exe" and process.command_line : "*shadows*" and
process.command_line : ("*delete*", "*resize*401*")) or
(process.pe.original_file_name : "bcdedit.exe" and process.command_line : ("*bootstatuspolicy*", "*recoveryenabled*")) or
(process.pe.original_file_name : "wbadmin.exe" and process.command_line : ("*catalog*", "*systemstatebackup*") and process.command_line : "*delete*")
) and
not (process.name : "vssadmin.exe" and process.args : "Resize" and process.parent.executable : "?:\\Program Files\\Geni\\Insights\\GsAgent.exe")
Exclusions
The rule actively suppresses these predicates.
| Field | Kind | Excluded values | Search |
|---|---|---|---|
process.args | eq | Resize | excludes:process.args field:"process.args" value:"Resize" |
process.name | eq | vssadmin.exe | excludes:process.name field:"process.name" value:"vssadmin.exe" |
process.parent.executable | eq | ?:\Program Files\Geni\Insights\GsAgent.exe | excludes:process.parent.executable field:"process.parent.executable" value:"?:\Program Files\Geni\Insights\GsAgent.exe" |
Indicators
These rows show field, operator, and value matches.
| Field | Kind | Values | Search |
|---|---|---|---|
event.action | eq |
| field:"EventType" kind:eq value:"start" |
process.command_line | wildcard |
| field:"CommandLine" kind:wildcard |
process.pe.original_file_name | wildcard |
| field:"OriginalFileName" kind:wildcard |