Detection rules › Elastic
Potential Execution via Shortcut Modification
Adversaries may create or modify shortcuts that can execute a program during system boot or user login. Shortcuts are used to reference other files or programs that will be opened or executed when the shortcut is clicked or executed by a system startup process.
MITRE ATT&CK coverage
Rule body
[rule]
description = """
Adversaries may create or modify shortcuts that can execute a program during system boot or user login. Shortcuts are
used to reference other files or programs that will be opened or executed when the shortcut is clicked or executed by a
system startup process.
"""
id = "6b045c74-157d-4f05-b08f-620ce9ea96e9"
license = "Elastic License v2"
name = "Potential Execution via Shortcut Modification"
os_list = ["windows"]
version = "1.0.23"
query = '''
process where event.action : "start" and
process.name : ("cmd.exe", "powershell.exe") and process.parent.executable : "?:\\Windows\\Explorer.exe" and
process.working_directory :
("?:\\Program Files\\*", "?:\\Program Files (x86)\\*", "?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Roaming\\Zoom\\bin\\*",
"?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\slack\\*", "?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\Discord\\*") and
process.command_line : ("*chrome.exe*", "*firefox.exe*", "*outlook.exe*", "msedge.exe", "*thunderbird.exe*",
"*slack.exe*", "*notepad++.exe*", "*discord.exe*", "*winword.exe*", "*excel.exe*", "*powerpnt*",
"*Teams*", "*zoom.exe*", "*update.exe*") and
not (process.name : "cmd.exe" and process.command_line : "*chrome.exe*" and process.args : "SET RENDERDOC_HOOK_EGL=0 && START \"")
'''
min_endpoint_version = "7.15.0"
optional_actions = []
[[actions]]
action = "kill_process"
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 = "T1059.001"
name = "PowerShell"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/001/"
[[threat.technique.subtechnique]]
id = "T1059.003"
name = "Windows Command Shell"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/003/"
[threat.tactic]
id = "TA0002"
name = "Execution"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0002/"
[[threat]]
framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"
[[threat.technique]]
id = "T1547"
name = "Boot or Logon Autostart Execution"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1547/"
[[threat.technique.subtechnique]]
id = "T1547.009"
name = "Shortcut Modification"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1547/009/"
[threat.tactic]
id = "TA0003"
name = "Persistence"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0003/"
[internal]
min_endpoint_version = "7.15.0"
Stages and Predicates
Stage 1: process
process where event.action : "start" and
process.name : ("cmd.exe", "powershell.exe") and process.parent.executable : "?:\\Windows\\Explorer.exe" and
process.working_directory :
("?:\\Program Files\\*", "?:\\Program Files (x86)\\*", "?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Roaming\\Zoom\\bin\\*",
"?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\slack\\*", "?:\\Users\\*\\AppData\\Local\\Discord\\*") and
process.command_line : ("*chrome.exe*", "*firefox.exe*", "*outlook.exe*", "msedge.exe", "*thunderbird.exe*",
"*slack.exe*", "*notepad++.exe*", "*discord.exe*", "*winword.exe*", "*excel.exe*", "*powerpnt*",
"*Teams*", "*zoom.exe*", "*update.exe*") and
not (process.name : "cmd.exe" and process.command_line : "*chrome.exe*" and process.args : "SET RENDERDOC_HOOK_EGL=0 && START \"")
Exclusions
The rule actively suppresses these predicates.
| Field | Kind | Excluded values | Search |
|---|---|---|---|
process.args | eq | SET RENDERDOC_HOOK_EGL=0 && START " | excludes:process.args |
process.command_line | match | chrome.exe | excludes:process.command_line field:"process.command_line" value:"chrome.exe" |
process.name | eq | cmd.exe | excludes:process.name field:"process.name" value:"cmd.exe" |
Indicators
These rows show field, operator, and value matches.
| Field | Kind | Values | Search |
|---|---|---|---|
event.action | wildcard |
| field:"EventType" kind:wildcard value:"start" |
process.command_line | wildcard |
| field:"CommandLine" kind:wildcard |
process.name | wildcard |
| field:"process_name" kind:wildcard |
process.parent.executable | wildcard |
| field:"ParentImage" kind:wildcard value:"?:\Windows\Explorer.exe" |
process.working_directory | wildcard |
| field:"CurrentDirectory" kind:wildcard |