Detection rules › Sublime MQL

Link: Recipient email address in 'eta' parameter

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

Detects links containing the recipient's email address in the 'eta' query parameter, a technique commonly used to personalize malicious links and track targets.

Threat classification

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

CategoryValues
Attack typesCredential Phishing
Tactics and techniquesSocial engineering, Evasion

Event coverage

Rule body MQL

type.inbound
and length(recipients.to) == 1
and any(body.links,
        // eta is the only key
        length(keys(.href_url.query_params_decoded)) == 1
        and (
          // the recpieints email domain is in the value
          // we've seen cases where `.` in the local part are not in the value, thus we rely on domain only
          strings.icontains(.href_url.query_params_decoded["eta"][0],
                            recipients.to[0].email.domain.domain
          )
          // support base64 form as well
          or strings.icontains(strings.decode_base64(.href_url.query_params_decoded["eta"][0]
                               ),
                               recipients.to[0].email.domain.domain
          )
        )
)

Detection logic

Scope: inbound message.

Detects links containing the recipient's email address in the 'eta' query parameter, a technique commonly used to personalize malicious links and track targets.

  1. inbound message
  2. length(recipients.to) is 1
  3. any of body.links where all hold:
    • length(keys(.href_url.query_params_decoded)) is 1
    • any of:
      • strings.icontains(.href_url.query_params_decoded['eta'][0])
      • strings.icontains(strings.decode_base64(.href_url.query_params_decoded['eta'][0]))

Inspects: body.links, body.links[].href_url.query_params_decoded, body.links[].href_url.query_params_decoded['eta'][0], recipients.to, recipients.to[0].email.domain.domain, type.inbound. Sensors: strings.decode_base64, strings.icontains.