Detection rules › Sublime MQL

Suspicious invoice reference with missing or image-only attachments

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

This rule flags emails that reference invoices or payments but have suspicious characteristics: attachments are either missing or only images. It also checks for misleading links disguised as attachments and the presence of invoice-related keywords. The rule looks for potential credential theft or unusual requests, making it a strong indicator of phishing attempts.

Threat classification

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

CategoryValues
Attack typesCredential Phishing
Tactics and techniquesSocial engineering

Event coverage

Rule body MQL

type.inbound

// more than 0 but less than 20 links
and 0 < length(body.links) < 20

// all attachments are images or there are 0 attachments
and (
  length(attachments) > 0 and all(attachments, .file_type in $file_types_images)
  or length(attachments) == 0
)

// subject contains payment/invoice language
and (
  any(ml.nlu_classifier(subject.subject).tags, .name in ("payment", "invoice"))
  or regex.contains(subject.subject,
                    '(?:\binv(?:oice|o)\b|in_v|in-voice|pay(?:ment|mnt)|pymt|\brec(?:eipt|pt|iept)\b|rcpt|confirm(?:ation)|cnfrm|cnf|po\b|p\.o\.|purch(?:ase)?-?order|\bord(?:er)?\b|bill(?:ing)|billing-info|transact(?:ion)|txn|trx|\bstmt\b|\bstmnt\b|remit(?:tance)|rmt|remndr|remind|\bdue(?:-date)\b|ovrdue|overdue|\bbal(?:ance)\b|\bpaid(?:-invoice)\b|requires\s+your\s+a(?:ttention|ction)|\b[fF]inal\s+(?:[nN]otice|[uU]npaid).{0,20}[iI]nvoice)',
                    // suspicious invoice format
                    '\d{6}\b.{10,30}(\d{2}\.){3}pdf'
  )
)

// link display text ends in a file extension or contain common payment terms
and (
  any(body.links,
      regex.imatch(.display_text,
                   '.*\.(?:doc|docm|docx|dot|dotm|pdf|ppa|ppam|ppsm|ppt|pptm|pptx|wbk|xla|xlam|xlm|xls|xlsb|xlsm|xlsx|xlt|xltm)$'
      )
  )
  or any(body.links,
         regex.icontains(.display_text,
                         '(?:\binv(?:oice|o)\b|in_v|in-voice|pay(?:ment|mnt)|pymt|\brec(?:eipt|pt|iept)\b|rcpt|req(?:uest)|rqst|\brq\b|\bpo\b|p\.o\.|purch(?:ase)?-?order|\bord(?:er)?\b|bill(?:ing)|billing-info|transact(?:ion)|txn|trx|\bstmt\b|\bstmnt\b|remit(?:tance)|rmt|remndr|remind|\bdue(?:-date)\b|ovrdue|overdue|\bbal(?:ance)\b|\bpaid(?:-invoice)\b|completed\s+doc(?:s|ument|uments)?\b)'
         )
  )
  or (
    any(body.links,
        regex.icontains(.display_text, '\bview\s+(invoice|attachment)')
    )
    and any([body.plain.raw, body.html.inner_text],
            any(ml.nlu_classifier(.).intents,
                .name == "cred_theft" and .confidence == "high"
            )
    )
  )
)

// the body references an attachment 
and (
  strings.contains(body.current_thread.text, "attach")
  // negate warning banners warning about the attachment(s)
  and (
    not (
      (
        regex.count(body.current_thread.text, "attach") == 1
        and regex.icontains(body.current_thread.text,
                            "(caution|warning).{0,30}attach"
        )
      )
      or ( // WeTransfer expiry warning notification
        sender.email.email == "noreply@wetransfer.com"
        and any(body.links,
                .display_text == "Don't send me these expiry reminders anymore"
        )
      )
    )
  )
)

// body text is determined to contain cred_theft language by nlu or contains a request with suspicious keywords
and (
  not (
    any(ml.nlu_classifier(body.current_thread.text).topics,
        .name in ("Shipping and Package", "Order Confirmations")
        and .confidence == "high"
    )
  )
  and (
    any(ml.nlu_classifier(body.current_thread.text).intents,
        .name == "cred_theft"
    )
    or any(ml.nlu_classifier(body.current_thread.text).entities,
           .name == "request" and (strings.icontains(.text, "kindly"))
    )
  )
)
// negate highly trusted sender domains unless they fail DMARC authentication
and (
  (
    sender.email.domain.root_domain in $high_trust_sender_root_domains
    and not headers.auth_summary.dmarc.pass
  )
  or sender.email.domain.root_domain not in $high_trust_sender_root_domains
)
and not profile.by_sender().solicited

Detection logic

Scope: inbound message.

This rule flags emails that reference invoices or payments but have suspicious characteristics: attachments are either missing or only images. It also checks for misleading links disguised as attachments and the presence of invoice-related keywords. The rule looks for potential credential theft or unusual requests, making it a strong indicator of phishing attempts.

  1. inbound message
  2. all of:
    • length(body.links) > 0
    • length(body.links) < 20
  3. any of:
    • all of:
      • length(attachments) > 0
      • all of attachments where:
        • .file_type in $file_types_images
    • length(attachments) is 0
  4. any of:
    • any of ml.nlu_classifier(subject.subject).tags where:
      • .name in ('payment', 'invoice')
    • subject.subject matches any of 2 patterns
      • (?:\binv(?:oice|o)\b|in_v|in-voice|pay(?:ment|mnt)|pymt|\brec(?:eipt|pt|iept)\b|rcpt|confirm(?:ation)|cnfrm|cnf|po\b|p\.o\.|purch(?:ase)?-?order|\bord(?:er)?\b|bill(?:ing)|billing-info|transact(?:ion)|txn|trx|\bstmt\b|\bstmnt\b|remit(?:tance)|rmt|remndr|remind|\bdue(?:-date)\b|ovrdue|overdue|\bbal(?:ance)\b|\bpaid(?:-invoice)\b|requires\s+your\s+a(?:ttention|ction)|\b[fF]inal\s+(?:[nN]otice|[uU]npaid).{0,20}[iI]nvoice)
      • \d{6}\b.{10,30}(\d{2}\.){3}pdf
  5. any of:
    • any of body.links where:
      • .display_text matches '.*\\.(?:doc|docm|docx|dot|dotm|pdf|ppa|ppam|ppsm|ppt|pptm|pptx|wbk|xla|xlam|xlm|xls|xlsb|xlsm|xlsx|xlt|xltm)$'
    • any of body.links where:
      • .display_text matches '(?:\\binv(?:oice|o)\\b|in_v|in-voice|pay(?:ment|mnt)|pymt|\\brec(?:eipt|pt|iept)\\b|rcpt|req(?:uest)|rqst|\\brq\\b|\\bpo\\b|p\\.o\\.|purch(?:ase)?-?order|\\bord(?:er)?\\b|bill(?:ing)|billing-info|transact(?:ion)|txn|trx|\\bstmt\\b|\\bstmnt\\b|remit(?:tance)|rmt|remndr|remind|\\bdue(?:-date)\\b|ovrdue|overdue|\\bbal(?:ance)\\b|\\bpaid(?:-invoice)\\b|completed\\s+doc(?:s|ument|uments)?\\b)'
    • all of:
      • any of body.links where:
        • .display_text matches '\\bview\\s+(invoice|attachment)'
      • any of [body.plain.raw, body.html.inner_text] where:
        • any of ml.nlu_classifier(.).intents where all hold:
          • .name is 'cred_theft'
          • .confidence is 'high'
  6. all of:
    • body.current_thread.text contains 'attach'
    • none of:
      • all of:
        • regex.count(body.current_thread.text, 'attach') is 1
        • body.current_thread.text matches '(caution|warning).{0,30}attach'
      • all of:
        • sender.email.email is 'noreply@wetransfer.com'
        • any of body.links where:
          • .display_text is "Don't send me these expiry reminders anymore"
  7. all of:
    • not:
      • any of ml.nlu_classifier(body.current_thread.text).topics where all hold:
        • .name in ('Shipping and Package', 'Order Confirmations')
        • .confidence is 'high'
    • any of:
      • any of ml.nlu_classifier(body.current_thread.text).intents where:
        • .name is 'cred_theft'
      • any of ml.nlu_classifier(body.current_thread.text).entities where all hold:
        • .name is 'request'
        • .text contains 'kindly'
  8. any of:
    • all of:
      • sender.email.domain.root_domain in $high_trust_sender_root_domains
      • not:
        • headers.auth_summary.dmarc.pass
    • sender.email.domain.root_domain not in $high_trust_sender_root_domains
  9. not:
    • profile.by_sender().solicited

Inspects: attachments[].file_type, body.current_thread.text, body.html.inner_text, body.links, body.links[].display_text, body.plain.raw, headers.auth_summary.dmarc.pass, sender.email.domain.root_domain, sender.email.email, subject.subject, type.inbound. Sensors: ml.nlu_classifier, profile.by_sender, regex.contains, regex.count, regex.icontains, regex.imatch, strings.contains, strings.icontains. Reference lists: $file_types_images, $high_trust_sender_root_domains.

Indicators matched (20)

FieldMatchValue
ml.nlu_classifier(subject.subject).tags[].namememberpayment
ml.nlu_classifier(subject.subject).tags[].namememberinvoice
regex.containsregex(?:\binv(?:oice|o)\b|in_v|in-voice|pay(?:ment|mnt)|pymt|\brec(?:eipt|pt|iept)\b|rcpt|confirm(?:ation)|cnfrm|cnf|po\b|p\.o\.|purch(?:ase)?-?order|\bord(?:er)?\b|bill(?:ing)|billing-info|transact(?:ion)|txn|trx|\bstmt\b|\bstmnt\b|remit(?:tance)|rmt|remndr|remind|\bdue(?:-date)\b|ovrdue|overdue|\bbal(?:ance)\b|\bpaid(?:-invoice)\b|requires\s+your\s+a(?:ttention|ction)|\b[fF]inal\s+(?:[nN]otice|[uU]npaid).{0,20}[iI]nvoice)
regex.containsregex\d{6}\b.{10,30}(\d{2}\.){3}pdf
regex.imatchregex.*\.(?:doc|docm|docx|dot|dotm|pdf|ppa|ppam|ppsm|ppt|pptm|pptx|wbk|xla|xlam|xlm|xls|xlsb|xlsm|xlsx|xlt|xltm)$
regex.icontainsregex(?:\binv(?:oice|o)\b|in_v|in-voice|pay(?:ment|mnt)|pymt|\brec(?:eipt|pt|iept)\b|rcpt|req(?:uest)|rqst|\brq\b|\bpo\b|p\.o\.|purch(?:ase)?-?order|\bord(?:er)?\b|bill(?:ing)|billing-info|transact(?:ion)|txn|trx|\bstmt\b|\bstmnt\b|remit(?:tance)|rmt|remndr|remind|\bdue(?:-date)\b|ovrdue|overdue|\bbal(?:ance)\b|\bpaid(?:-invoice)\b|completed\s+doc(?:s|ument|uments)?\b)
regex.icontainsregex\bview\s+(invoice|attachment)
ml.nlu_classifier([body.plain.raw, body.html.inner_text][]).intents[].nameequalscred_theft
ml.nlu_classifier([body.plain.raw, body.html.inner_text][]).intents[].confidenceequalshigh
strings.containssubstringattach
regex.countregexattach
regex.icontainsregex(caution|warning).{0,30}attach
8 more
sender.email.emailequalsnoreply@wetransfer.com
body.links[].display_textequalsDon't send me these expiry reminders anymore
ml.nlu_classifier(body.current_thread.text).topics[].namememberShipping and Package
ml.nlu_classifier(body.current_thread.text).topics[].namememberOrder Confirmations
ml.nlu_classifier(body.current_thread.text).topics[].confidenceequalshigh
ml.nlu_classifier(body.current_thread.text).intents[].nameequalscred_theft
ml.nlu_classifier(body.current_thread.text).entities[].nameequalsrequest
strings.icontainssubstringkindly