Detection rules › Sublime MQL

Headers: Fake in-reply-to with wildcard sender and missing thread context

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

Detects messages claiming to be replies with In-Reply-To headers but lacking previous thread context, sent from addresses containing multiple wildcard characters in the local part.

Threat classification

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

CategoryValues
Attack typesBEC/Fraud, Credential Phishing
Tactics and techniquesEvasion, Social engineering, Spoofing

Event coverage

Rule body MQL

type.inbound
and headers.in_reply_to is not null
and not (subject.is_forward or subject.is_reply)
and length(body.previous_threads) == 0
and strings.count(sender.email.local_part, "*") >= 2

Detection logic

Scope: inbound message.

Detects messages claiming to be replies with In-Reply-To headers but lacking previous thread context, sent from addresses containing multiple wildcard characters in the local part.

  1. inbound message
  2. headers.in_reply_to is set
  3. none of:
    • subject.is_forward
    • subject.is_reply
  4. length(body.previous_threads) is 0
  5. strings.count(sender.email.local_part, '*') ≥ 2

Inspects: body.previous_threads, headers.in_reply_to, sender.email.local_part, subject.is_forward, subject.is_reply, type.inbound. Sensors: strings.count.