Detection rules › Sublime MQL

Suspicious mailer received from Gmail servers

Severity
low
Type
rule
Source
github.com/sublime-security/sublime-rules

Mailer is atypical of sends from Gmail infrastructure. Observed sending callback phishing and general spam.

Threat classification

Sublime's own taxonomy (not MITRE ATT&CK).

CategoryValues
Attack typesCallback Phishing, Spam
Tactics and techniquesFree email provider, Social engineering

Event coverage

Rule body MQL

type.inbound
and (
  strings.ilike(headers.mailer,
                "Microsoft CDO for Windows 2000",
                "PHPMailer*",
                "nodemailer*"
  )
  or any(headers.hops, any(.fields, .value == "Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE"))
)
and (
  any(headers.hops, .index == 0 and .received.server.raw == "smtp.gmail.com")
  or headers.return_path.domain.root_domain in ("gmail.com", "googlemail.com")
)
and not profile.by_sender().any_messages_benign

Detection logic

Scope: inbound message.

Mailer is atypical of sends from Gmail infrastructure. Observed sending callback phishing and general spam.

  1. inbound message
  2. any of:
    • headers.mailer matches any of 3 patterns
      • Microsoft CDO for Windows 2000
      • PHPMailer*
      • nodemailer*
    • any of headers.hops where:
      • any of .fields where:
        • .value is 'Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE'
  3. any of:
    • any of headers.hops where all hold:
      • .index is 0
      • .received.server.raw is 'smtp.gmail.com'
    • headers.return_path.domain.root_domain in ('gmail.com', 'googlemail.com')
  4. not:
    • profile.by_sender().any_messages_benign

Inspects: headers.hops, headers.hops[].fields, headers.hops[].fields[].value, headers.hops[].index, headers.hops[].received.server.raw, headers.mailer, headers.return_path.domain.root_domain, type.inbound. Sensors: profile.by_sender, strings.ilike.

Indicators matched (7)

FieldMatchValue
strings.ilikesubstringMicrosoft CDO for Windows 2000
strings.ilikesubstringPHPMailer*
strings.ilikesubstringnodemailer*
headers.hops[].fields[].valueequalsProduced By Microsoft MimeOLE
headers.hops[].received.server.rawequalssmtp.gmail.com
headers.return_path.domain.root_domainmembergmail.com
headers.return_path.domain.root_domainmembergooglemail.com