Detection rules › Sublime MQL

Attachment: Emotet heavily padded doc in zip file

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

Detects a potential Emotet delivery method using padded .doc files that compress into small zip files. Contents may include Red Dawn templates exceeding 500MB.

Threat classification

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

CategoryValues
Attack typesMalware/Ransomware
Tactics and techniquesEvasion

Event coverage

Rule body MQL

type.inbound
and any(attachments,
        .file_extension == "zip"
        and any(file.explode(.),
                .depth == 0
                and .size < 1000000
                and not .depth > 0
                and strings.ends_with(.scan.exiftool.zip_file_name, ".doc")
                and .scan.exiftool.zip_uncompressed_size > 500000000
        )
)
and (
  profile.by_sender().prevalence in ("new", "outlier")
  or (
    profile.by_sender().any_messages_malicious_or_spam
    and not profile.by_sender().any_messages_benign
  )
)

Detection logic

Scope: inbound message.

Detects a potential Emotet delivery method using padded .doc files that compress into small zip files. Contents may include Red Dawn templates exceeding 500MB.

  1. inbound message
  2. any of attachments where all hold:
    • .file_extension is 'zip'
    • any of file.explode(.) where all hold:
      • .depth is 0
      • .size < 1000000
      • not:
        • .depth > 0
      • .scan.exiftool.zip_file_name ends with '.doc'
      • .scan.exiftool.zip_uncompressed_size > 500000000
  3. any of:
    • profile.by_sender().prevalence in ('new', 'outlier')
    • all of:
      • profile.by_sender().any_messages_malicious_or_spam
      • not:
        • profile.by_sender().any_messages_benign

Inspects: attachments[].file_extension, type.inbound. Sensors: file.explode, profile.by_sender, strings.ends_with.

Indicators matched (2)

FieldMatchValue
attachments[].file_extensionequalszip
strings.ends_withsuffix.doc