Detection rules › Elastic
Suspicious Shortcut File Overwrite
Identifies the overwrite of a Windows shortcut (lnk) file by processes that defaults to handle archive extraction. This could be the result of an attempt to bypass bypass Microsoft SmartScreen protection.
MITRE ATT&CK coverage
| Tactic | Techniques |
|---|---|
| Initial Access | |
| Execution |
Rule body
[rule]
description = """
Identifies the overwrite of a Windows shortcut (lnk) file by processes that defaults to handle archive extraction. This
could be the result of an attempt to bypass bypass Microsoft SmartScreen protection.
"""
id = "7e1113a3-8f6a-4450-a95e-343c0c75a639"
license = "Elastic License v2"
name = "Suspicious Shortcut File Overwrite"
os_list = ["windows"]
reference = ["https://www.elastic.co/security-labs/dismantling-smart-app-control"]
version = "1.0.4"
query = '''
file where event.action == "overwrite" and file.extension : "lnk" and
process.name :("explorer.exe", "7zFM.exe", "WinRAR.exe", "Bandizip.exe") and file.Ext.header_bytes : "4c0000000114020000000000c0000000" and
process.thread.Ext.call_stack_summary : "ntdll.dll|*|windows.storage.dll|shell32.dll|*" and
(
file.path : ("?:\\Users\\*\\Downloads\\*.lnk", "?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\*.lnk") or
file.Ext.windows.zone_identifier == 3
) and
not _arraysearch(process.thread.Ext.call_stack, $entry, $entry.symbol_info: "*windows.storage.dll!RebaseOnVolumeID*")
'''
actions = []
min_endpoint_version = "8.7.0"
[[optional_actions]]
action = "rollback"
field = "process.entity_id"
state = 0
[[threat]]
framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"
[[threat.technique]]
id = "T1566"
name = "Phishing"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1566/"
[[threat.technique.subtechnique]]
id = "T1566.001"
name = "Spearphishing Attachment"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1566/001/"
[[threat.technique.subtechnique]]
id = "T1566.002"
name = "Spearphishing Link"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1566/002/"
[threat.tactic]
id = "TA0001"
name = "Initial Access"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0001/"
[[threat]]
framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"
[[threat.technique]]
id = "T1204"
name = "User Execution"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1204/"
[[threat.technique.subtechnique]]
id = "T1204.001"
name = "Malicious Link"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1204/001/"
[threat.tactic]
id = "TA0002"
name = "Execution"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0002/"
[internal]
min_endpoint_version = "8.7.0"
Stages and Predicates
Stage 1: file
file where event.action == "overwrite" and file.extension : "lnk" and
process.name :("explorer.exe", "7zFM.exe", "WinRAR.exe", "Bandizip.exe") and file.Ext.header_bytes : "4c0000000114020000000000c0000000" and
process.thread.Ext.call_stack_summary : "ntdll.dll|*|windows.storage.dll|shell32.dll|*" and
(
file.path : ("?:\\Users\\*\\Downloads\\*.lnk", "?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\*.lnk") or
file.Ext.windows.zone_identifier == 3
) and
not _arraysearch(process.thread.Ext.call_stack, $entry, $entry.symbol_info: "*windows.storage.dll!RebaseOnVolumeID*")
Exclusions
The rule actively suppresses these predicates.
| Field | Kind | Excluded values | Search |
|---|---|---|---|
process.thread.Ext.call_stack | array_any | excludes:process.thread.Ext.call_stack |
Indicators
These rows show field, operator, and value matches.
| Field | Kind | Values | Search |
|---|---|---|---|
event.action | eq |
| field:"EventType" kind:eq value:"overwrite" |
file.Ext.header_bytes | wildcard |
| field:"file.Ext.header_bytes" kind:wildcard value:"4c0000000114020000000000c0000000" |
file.Ext.windows.zone_identifier | eq |
| field:"file.Ext.windows.zone_identifier" kind:eq value:"3" |
file.extension | wildcard |
| field:"file.extension" kind:wildcard value:"lnk" |
file.path | wildcard |
| field:"TargetFilename" kind:wildcard |
process.name | wildcard |
| field:"process_name" kind:wildcard |
process.thread.Ext.call_stack_summary | wildcard |
| field:"process.thread.Ext.call_stack_summary" kind:wildcard value:"ntdll.dll|*|windows.storage.dll|shell32.dll|*" |