C2-NamedPipe

Status: available
Severity: high
Time window: 1d
Source: github.com/Azure/Azure-Sentinel

Detects the creation of a named pipe used by known APT malware. Reference - https://docs.microsoft.com/openspecs/windows_protocols/ms-wpo/4de75e21-36fd-440a-859b-75accc74487c

MITRE ATT&CK coverage

Tactic	Techniques
Command & Control	`T1105` Ingress Tool Transfer

Event coverage

Provider	Event/ActionType	Title
Sysmon	Event ID 17	PipeEvent (Pipe Created)
Sysmon	Event ID 18	PipeEvent (Pipe Connected)
Defender-DeviceEvents	NamedPipeEvent	Named pipe event

Rule body kusto

id: 7ce00cba-f76f-4026-ab7f-7e4f1b67bd18
name: C2-NamedPipe
description: |
  Detects the creation of a named pipe used by known APT malware.
  Reference - https://docs.microsoft.com/openspecs/windows_protocols/ms-wpo/4de75e21-36fd-440a-859b-75accc74487c
severity: High
status: Available
requiredDataConnectors:
  - connectorId: MicrosoftThreatProtection
    dataTypes:
      - DeviceEvents
queryFrequency: 1d
queryPeriod: 1d
triggerOperator: gt
triggerThreshold: 0
tactics:
  - CommandAndControl
relevantTechniques:
  - T1105
tags:
  - APT Malware
query: |
  // this is what should be constantly tweaked with default C2 framework names, search uses has_any (wildcard)
  let badPipeNames = pack_array(
      '\\psexec',                                     // PSexec default pipe
      '\\paexec',                                     // PSexec default pipe
      '\\remcom',                                     // PSexec default pipe
      '\\csexec',                                     // PSexec default pipe
      '\\isapi_http',                                 // Uroburos Malware Named Pipe
      '\\isapi_dg',                                   // Uroburos Malware Named Pipe
      '\\isapi_dg2',                                  // Uroburos Malware Named Pipe
      '\\sdlrpc',                                     // Cobra Trojan Named Pipe http://goo.gl/8rOZUX
      '\\ahexec',                                     // Sofacy group malware
      '\\winsession',                                 // Wild Neutron APT malware https://goo.gl/pivRZJ
      '\\lsassw',                                     // Wild Neutron APT malware https://goo.gl/pivRZJ
      '\\46a676ab7f179e511e30dd2dc41bd388',           // Project Sauron https://goo.gl/eFoP4A
      '\\9f81f59bc58452127884ce513865ed20',           // Project Sauron https://goo.gl/eFoP4A
      '\\e710f28d59aa529d6792ca6ff0ca1b34',           // Project Sauron https://goo.gl/eFoP4A
      '\\rpchlp_3',                                   // Project Sauron https://goo.gl/eFoP4A - Technical Analysis Input
      '\\NamePipe_MoreWindows',                       // US-CERT Alert - RedLeaves https://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/alerts/TA17-117A
      '\\pcheap_reuse',                               // Pipe used by Equation Group malware 77486bb828dba77099785feda0ca1d4f33ad0d39b672190079c508b3feb21fb0
      '\\gruntsvc',                                   // Covenant default named pipe
      '\\583da945-62af-10e8-4902-a8f205c72b2e',       // SolarWinds SUNBURST malware report https://www.fireeye.com/blog/threat-research/2020/12/evasive-attacker-leverages-solarwinds-supply-chain-compromises-with-sunburst-backdoor.html
      '\\bizkaz',                                     // Snatch Ransomware https://thedfirreport.com/2020/06/21/snatch-ransomware/
      '\\atctl',                                      // https://www.virustotal.com/#/file/a4ddb2664a6c87a1d3c5da5a5a32a5df9a0b0c8f2e951811bd1ec1d44d42ccf1/detection
      '\\userpipe',                                   // ruag apt case
      '\\iehelper',                                   // ruag apt case
      '\\sdlrpc',                                     // project cobra https://www.gdatasoftware.com/blog/2015/01/23926-analysis-of-project-cobra
      '\\comnap',                                     // https://www.gdatasoftware.com/blog/2015/01/23926-analysis-of-project-cobra
      '\\lsadump',                                    // Cred Dump-Tools Named Pipes
      '\\cachedump',                                  // Cred Dump-Tools Named Pipes
      '\\wceservicepipe',                             // Cred Dump-Tools Named Pipes
      '\\jaccdpqnvbrrxlaf',                           // PoshC2 default named pipe
      '\\svcctl',                                     // CrackMapExec default named pipe
      '\\csexecsvc'                                   // CSEXEC default named pipe
      '\\status_',                                    // CS default named pipes https://github.com/Neo23x0/sigma/issues/253
      '\\MSSE-',                                      // CobaltStrike default named pipe
      '\\status_',                                    // CobaltStrike default named pipe
      '\\msagent_',                                   // (target) CobaltStrike default named pipe
      '\\postex_ssh_',                                // CobaltStrike default named pipe
      '\\postex_',                                    // CobaltStrike default named pipe
      '\\Posh'                                        // PoshC2 default named pipe
  );
  DeviceEvents
  | where ActionType == "NamedPipeEvent"
  | extend ParsedFields=parse_json(AdditionalFields)
  | where ParsedFields.FileOperation == "File created"
  | where ParsedFields.PipeName has_any (badPipeNames)
  | project TimeGenerated, ActionType, DeviceName, InitiatingProcessAccountDomain, InitiatingProcessAccountName, InitiatingProcessFolderPath, InitiatingProcessCommandLine, ParsedFields.FileOperation, ParsedFields.PipeName
  | extend HostName = iff(DeviceName has '.', substring(DeviceName, 0, indexof(DeviceName, '.')), DeviceName)
  | extend DnsDomain = iff(DeviceName has '.', substring(DeviceName, indexof(DeviceName, '.') + 1), "")
entityMappings:
  - entityType: Host
    fieldMappings:
      - identifier: FullName
        columnName: DeviceName
      - identifier: HostName
        columnName: HostName
      - identifier: DnsDomain
        columnName: DnsDomain
version: 1.0.0
kind: Scheduled

Stages and Predicates

Let binding: `badPipeNames`

let badPipeNames = pack_array(
    '\\psexec',
    '\\paexec',
    '\\remcom',
    '\\csexec',
    '\\isapi_http',
    '\\isapi_dg',
    '\\isapi_dg2',
    '\\sdlrpc',
    '\\ahexec',
    '\\winsession',
    '\\lsassw',
    '\\46a676ab7f179e511e30dd2dc41bd388',
    '\\9f81f59bc58452127884ce513865ed20',
    '\\e710f28d59aa529d6792ca6ff0ca1b34',
    '\\rpchlp_3',
    '\\NamePipe_MoreWindows',
    '\\pcheap_reuse',
    '\\gruntsvc',
    '\\583da945-62af-10e8-4902-a8f205c72b2e',
    '\\bizkaz',
    '\\atctl',
    '\\userpipe',
    '\\iehelper',
    '\\sdlrpc',
    '\\comnap',
    '\\lsadump',
    '\\cachedump',
    '\\wceservicepipe',
    '\\jaccdpqnvbrrxlaf',
    '\\svcctl',
    '\\csexecsvc'
    '\\status_',
    '\\MSSE-',
    '\\status_',
    '\\msagent_',
    '\\postex_ssh_',
    '\\postex_',
    '\\Posh'
);

Stage 1: `source`

DeviceEvents

Stage 2: `where`

| where ActionType == "NamedPipeEvent"

Stage 3: `extend`

| extend ParsedFields=parse_json(AdditionalFields)

Stage 4: `where`

| where ParsedFields.FileOperation == "File created"

Stage 5: `where`

| where ParsedFields.PipeName has_any (badPipeNames)

References badPipeNames (defined above).

Stage 6: `project`

| project TimeGenerated, ActionType, DeviceName, InitiatingProcessAccountDomain, InitiatingProcessAccountName, InitiatingProcessFolderPath, InitiatingProcessCommandLine, ParsedFields.FileOperation, ParsedFields.PipeName

Stage 7: `extend`

| extend HostName = iff(DeviceName has '.', substring(DeviceName, 0, indexof(DeviceName, '.')), DeviceName)

HostName =

ifDeviceName has "."substring(DeviceName, 0, indexof(DeviceName, '.'))

elseDeviceName

Stage 8: `extend`

| extend DnsDomain = iff(DeviceName has '.', substring(DeviceName, indexof(DeviceName, '.') + 1), "")

DnsDomain =

ifDeviceName has "."substring(DeviceName, (indexof(DeviceName, '.') + 1))

else""

Indicators

Each row is a field, operator, and value that the rule matches. The corpus column counts how many other rules in the catalog look for the same combination: high numbers point to widely-used, community-vetted indicators. Blank or 1 shows that the indicator is specific to this rule.

Field	Kind	Values
`ActionType`	eq	`NamedPipeEvent` transforms: `cased` corpus 2 (kusto 2)
`FileOperation`	eq	`File created` transforms: `cased`
`PipeName`	match	`badPipeNames`

Output fields

Fields the rule emits when it matches. Chronicle authors list these in the outcome block; they appear on the detection and $risk_score drives alerting. Sentinel / Defender XDR rules build them up through project / summarize / extend stages. Sentinel maps these into alert fields via entityMappings and customDetails; Defender XDR custom detections surface them as alert fields directly.

Field	Source
`ActionType`	`project`
`DeviceName`	`project`
`FileOperation`	`project`
`InitiatingProcessAccountDomain`	`project`
`InitiatingProcessAccountName`	`project`
`InitiatingProcessCommandLine`	`project`
`InitiatingProcessFolderPath`	`project`
`PipeName`	`project`
`TimeGenerated`	`project`
`HostName`	`extend`
`DnsDomain`	`extend`

`j` / `k`	Scroll down / up
`d` / `u`	Half-page down / up
`gg` / `G`	Top / bottom
`h` / `l`	History back / forward
`f`	Follow link (`Shift` = new tab)
`/`	Focus search
`?`	Toggle this help
`↑` / `↓`	Navigate search results
`Enter`	Open highlighted result
`Esc`	Close results / dialog

`type:`	`events` / `rules` / `providers`
`vendor:`	`sigma` / `elastic` / `splunk` / `kusto` / `chronicle` (vendor name alone also works: `sigma:`, `kql:`, `secops:`…)
`tactic:`	TA-id, slug, or name: `credential_access`, `TA0006`
`technique:`	technique or sub-technique ID: `T1003`, `T1003.001` (alias `tech:`)
`severity:`	`critical` / `high` / `medium` / `low` / `informational` (alias `sev:`)
`risk_score`	Numeric comparison on the Elastic risk score (0 to 100): `risk_score>50`, `risk_score<=20`, `risk_score=99` (alias `risk`; Elastic rules only)
`stages:`	Rules with exactly N pipeline stages
`correlation:`	`single_event` / `sequence` / `alternatives` / `alternatives_cross_log` / `all_required` / `correlated`
`with:`	Co-occurrence event-id; stacks (`with:4624 with:4769`) to require all, while a comma list in one occurrence (`with:4624,4769`) is an either-or group. Implies multi-event
`like:`	Structural neighbors of a rule slug (equivalents + subsumption stricter / broader): `like:comsvcs_lsass_memory_dump-splunk-sysmon`
`groupby:`	Entity-grouping substring match against `group_by_keys`: `groupby:user`, `groupby:host`
`uses:`	Rules whose predicate tree touches the field (any kind, any value): `uses:CommandLine`
`excludes:`	Rules with top-level `not()` clauses on the field (FP whitelists): `excludes:ParentImage`
`field:` / `value:`	Predicate search; narrows rule cards to those with a matching leaf and drives the indicator tier. Unquoted = substring, wildcards allowed (`value:mimikatz`)
`indicator:`	Shorthand for `field:F value:V`: `indicator:Image=*\powershell.exe`
`kind:`	Filter by predicate kind. Narrows rule cards to those carrying a matching predicate leaf (`vendor:elastic kind:cidr_match`) and drives the indicator tier: `contains` / `starts_with` / `ends_with` / `regex` / `cidr` / `eq` / `in` … (operator aliases `op:`/`match:`)
`has:` / `no:`	`sample`, `field`, `notes`, `refs`, `trace`, `thirdparty`, `rule`, `pattern`, `timewindow`, `threshold`, `newterms`, `sigma`/`elastic`/`splunk`/`kusto`/`chronicle`
`-op:val`	Exclude matches; works on most operators but not `type:`/`like:`/`has:`/`no:` (use `no:<flag>` to exclude a rule flag): `tactic:execution -vendor:splunk`. Standalone `-kind:`/`-field:`/`-value:` drop every rule carrying a matching predicate leaf (`type:rules -kind:is_null`)
`field:"…"` / `value:"…"`	Quoted value = anchored exact match (also allows spaces): `value:"net user"`
`a,b`	Comma = OR inside one operator (`vendor:sigma,elastic`, `severity:high,critical`); repeating a facet merges the same way. `field:`/`value:` never split (literal commas)
`vendors:` / `stage:`	Singular and plural spellings fold to the canonical operator and value: `tactics:` = `tactic:`, `type:event` = `type:events`, `correlation:sequences` = `correlation:sequence`, `has:thresholds` = `has:threshold`
`"quoted phrase"`	Exact-match a multi-word phrase (free text)

C2-NamedPipe

MITRE ATT&CK coverage

Event coverage

Rule body kusto

Stages and Predicates

Let binding: `badPipeNames`

Stage 1: `source`

Stage 2: `where`

Stage 3: `extend`

Stage 4: `where`

Stage 5: `where`

Stage 6: `project`

Stage 7: `extend`

Stage 8: `extend`

Indicators

Output fields

Keyboard shortcuts

Search operators

C2-NamedPipe

MITRE ATT&CK coverage

Event coverage

Rule body kusto

Stages and Predicates

Let binding: badPipeNames

Stage 1: source

Stage 2: where

Stage 3: extend

Stage 4: where

Stage 5: where

Stage 6: project

Stage 7: extend

Stage 8: extend

Indicators

Output fields

Let binding: `badPipeNames`

Stage 1: `source`

Stage 2: `where`

Stage 3: `extend`

Stage 4: `where`

Stage 5: `where`

Stage 6: `project`

Stage 7: `extend`

Stage 8: `extend`