DNS request to denylisted domain

Severity: high
Group by: DomainName, aid
Entities: domain_names, ip_addresses, md5_hashes, trace_ids
Log types: Crowdstrike.DNSRequest, Crowdstrike.FDREvent
Tags: CrowdStrike, Configuration Required, DNS, Command and Control, Initial Access, Exfiltration, Threat Intelligence, Network Monitoring
Reference: https://docs.runpanther.io/data-onboarding/supported-logs/crowdstrike#crowdstrike-dnsrequest
Source: github.com/panther-labs/panther-analysis

Detects DNS requests to domains on a custom denylist configured by security teams based on their threat landscape. This template rule requires configuration before enabling and monitors for C2 communication, phishing infrastructure, malware distribution, and data exfiltration. Organizations populate the denylist with threat intelligence indicators, known malicious infrastructure, and domains associated with targeted campaigns.

MITRE ATT&CK coverage

Tactic	Techniques
Initial Access	`T1566` Phishing
Command & Control	`T1071.004` Application Layer Protocol: DNS
Exfiltration	`T1567` Exfiltration Over Web Service

Rule body yaml

AnalysisType: rule
Filename: crowdstrike_dns_request.py
RuleID: "Crowdstrike.DNS.Request"
DisplayName: "DNS request to denylisted domain"
Enabled: false
LogTypes:
  - Crowdstrike.DNSRequest
  - Crowdstrike.FDREvent
Tags:
  - CrowdStrike
  - Configuration Required
  - DNS
  - Command and Control
  - Initial Access
  - Exfiltration
  - Threat Intelligence
  - Network Monitoring
Severity: High
Reports:
  MITRE ATT&CK:
    - TA0001:T1566
    - TA0011:T1071.004
    - TA0010:T1567
Description: >
  Detects DNS requests to domains on a custom denylist configured by security teams based on their threat landscape. This template rule requires configuration before enabling and monitors for C2 communication, phishing infrastructure, malware distribution, and data exfiltration. Organizations populate the denylist with threat intelligence indicators, known malicious infrastructure, and domains associated with targeted campaigns.
Reference: https://docs.runpanther.io/data-onboarding/supported-logs/crowdstrike#crowdstrike-dnsrequest
Runbook: |
  1. Query CrowdStrike ProcessRollup events for ContextProcessId matching this DNS request to identify the process, user account, and parent process that initiated the query to DomainName
  2. Search CrowdStrike DNS logs for all queries to the same DomainName from the affected host (aid) in the past 30 days to determine when it was first queried and the frequency of attempts
  3. Hunt across all endpoints for other hosts querying the same denylisted domain using CrowdStrike IOC search to identify additional compromised systems in the campaign
DedupPeriodMinutes: 15
SummaryAttributes:
  - DomainName
  - aid
  - p_any_domain_names
  - p_any_ip_addresses
Tests:
  - Name: Denylisted Domain
    ExpectedResult: true
    Log:
      {
        "event_simpleName": "DnsRequest",
        "name": "DnsRequestMacV1",
        "aid": "00000000000000000000000000000001",
        "aip": "111.111.111.111",
        "cid": "00000000000000000000000000000002",
        "id": "11111111-0000-1111-0000-111111111111",
        "event_platform": "Mac",
        "timestamp": "2021-10-01 00:00:00.000Z",
        "ConfigBuild": "1007.4.0014301.11",
        "ConfigStateHash": "507116305",
        "Entitlements": "15",
        "ContextThreadId": "0",
        "ContextTimeStamp": "2021-10-08 19:55:04.448Z",
        "ContextProcessId": "111111111111111111",
        "EffectiveTransmissionClass": 2,
        "DomainName": "baddomain.com",
        "RequestType": "1",
        "p_event_time": "2021-10-08 19:55:04.448Z",
        "p_parse_time": "2021-10-08 20:09:41.933Z",
        "p_log_type": "Crowdstrike.DNSRequest",
        "p_row_id": "2ed00000000000000000000000000001",
        "p_source_id": "11111111-1111-1111-1111-111111111111",
        "p_source_label": "Crowdstrike",
        "p_any_ip_addresses": ["111.111.111.111"],
        "p_any_domain_names": ["baddomain.com"],
        "p_any_trace_ids":
          [
            "00000000000000000000000000000001",
            "00000000000000000000000000000002",
          ],
      }
  - Name: Non-denylisted Domain
    ExpectedResult: false
    Log:
      {
        "event_simpleName": "DnsRequest",
        "name": "DnsRequestMacV1",
        "aid": "00000000000000000000000000000001",
        "aip": "111.111.111.111",
        "cid": "00000000000000000000000000000002",
        "id": "11111111-0000-1111-0000-111111111111",
        "event_platform": "Mac",
        "timestamp": "2021-10-01 00:00:00.000Z",
        "ConfigBuild": "1007.4.0014301.11",
        "ConfigStateHash": "507116305",
        "Entitlements": "15",
        "ContextThreadId": "0",
        "ContextTimeStamp": "2021-10-08 19:55:04.448Z",
        "ContextProcessId": "111111111111111111",
        "EffectiveTransmissionClass": 2,
        "DomainName": "gooddomain.com",
        "RequestType": "1",
        "p_event_time": "2021-10-08 19:55:04.448Z",
        "p_parse_time": "2021-10-08 20:09:41.933Z",
        "p_log_type": "Crowdstrike.DNSRequest",
        "p_row_id": "2ed00000000000000000000000000001",
        "p_source_id": "11111111-1111-1111-1111-111111111111",
        "p_source_label": "Crowdstrike",
        "p_any_ip_addresses": ["111.111.111.111"],
        "p_any_domain_names": ["gooddomain.com"],
        "p_any_trace_ids":
          [
            "00000000000000000000000000000001",
            "00000000000000000000000000000002",
          ],
      }
  - Name: Denylisted Domain (FDREvent)
    ExpectedResult: true
    Log:
      {
        "aid": "307dc41ce39744f060622095f2805249",
        "aip": "10.0.0.0",
        "cid": "0cfb1a68ef6b49fdb0d2b12725057057",
        "ConfigBuild": "1007.4.0010306.1",
        "ConfigStateHash": "156025532",
        "ContextProcessId": "289977812183778042",
        "ContextThreadId": "0",
        "ContextTimestamp": "2020-05-24 23:50:06.989",
        "Entitlements": "15",
        "event":
          {
            "ConfigBuild": "1007.4.0010306.1",
            "ConfigStateHash": "156025532",
            "ContextProcessId": "289977812183778042",
            "ContextThreadId": "0",
            "ContextTimeStamp": "1590364206.989",
            "DomainName": "baddomain.com",
            "Entitlements": "15",
            "RequestType": "1",
            "aid": "307dc41ce39744f060622095f2805249",
            "aip": "10.0.0.0",
            "cid": "0cfb1a68ef6b49fdb0d2b12725057057",
            "event_platform": "Mac",
            "event_simpleName": "DnsRequest",
            "id": "4be06eb8-9e19-11ea-a7b0-026c15f3d8ed",
            "name": "DnsRequestMacV1",
            "timestamp": "1590364207259",
          },
        "event_platform": "Mac",
        "event_simplename": "DnsRequest",
        "fdr_event_type": "DnsRequest",
        "id": "4be06eb8-9e19-11ea-a7b0-026c15f3d8ed",
        "name": "DnsRequestMacV1",
        "p_any_domain_names": ["baddomain.com"],
        "p_any_ip_addresses": ["10.0.0.0"],
        "p_any_md5_hashes":
          [
            "0cfb1a68ef6b49fdb0d2b12725057057",
            "307dc41ce39744f060622095f2805249",
          ],
        "p_any_trace_ids":
          [
            "0cfb1a68ef6b49fdb0d2b12725057057",
            "307dc41ce39744f060622095f2805249",
          ],
        "p_event_time": "2020-05-24 23:50:06.989",
        "p_log_type": "Crowdstrike.FDREvent",
        "p_parse_time": "2023-01-26 12:17:58.141",
        "p_row_id": "a21b385f60c08898ae918c84162d",
        "p_schema_version": 0,
        "timestamp": "2020-05-24 23:50:07.259",
      }
  - Name: Non-denylisted Domain (FDREvent)
    ExpectedResult: false
    Log:
      {
        "aid": "307dc41ce39744f060622095f2805249",
        "aip": "10.0.0.0",
        "cid": "0cfb1a68ef6b49fdb0d2b12725057057",
        "ConfigBuild": "1007.4.0010306.1",
        "ConfigStateHash": "156025532",
        "ContextProcessId": "289977812183778042",
        "ContextThreadId": "0",
        "ContextTimeStamp": "2020-05-24 23:50:06.989",
        "Entitlements": "15",
        "event":
          {
            "ConfigBuild": "1007.4.0010306.1",
            "ConfigStateHash": "156025532",
            "ContextProcessId": "289977812183778042",
            "ContextThreadId": "0",
            "ContextTimeStamp": "1590364206.989",
            "DomainName": "gooddomain.com",
            "Entitlements": "15",
            "RequestType": "1",
            "aid": "307dc41ce39744f060622095f2805249",
            "aip": "10.0.0.0",
            "cid": "0cfb1a68ef6b49fdb0d2b12725057057",
            "event_platform": "Mac",
            "event_simpleName": "DnsRequest",
            "id": "4be06eb8-9e19-11ea-a7b0-026c15f3d8ed",
            "name": "DnsRequestMacV1",
            "timestamp": "1590364207259",
          },
        "event_platform": "Mac",
        "event_simplename": "DnsRequest",
        "fdr_event_type": "DnsRequest",
        "id": "4be06eb8-9e19-11ea-a7b0-026c15f3d8ed",
        "name": "DnsRequestMacV1",
        "p_any_domain_names": ["gooddomain.com"],
        "p_any_ip_addresses": ["10.0.0.0"],
        "p_any_md5_hashes":
          [
            "0cfb1a68ef6b49fdb0d2b12725057057",
            "307dc41ce39744f060622095f2805249",
          ],
        "p_any_trace_ids":
          [
            "0cfb1a68ef6b49fdb0d2b12725057057",
            "307dc41ce39744f060622095f2805249",
          ],
        "p_event_time": "2020-05-24 23:50:06.989",
        "p_log_type": "Crowdstrike.FDREvent",
        "p_parse_time": "2023-01-26 12:17:58.141",
        "p_row_id": "a21b385f60c08898ae918c84162d",
        "p_schema_version": 0,
        "timestamp": "2020-05-24 23:50:07.259",
      }
  - Name: Denylisted Domain (but Non-DNS type) (FDREvent)
    ExpectedResult: false
    Log:
      {
        "event_simpleName": "Event_EppDetectionSummaryEvent",
        "name": "DnsRequestMacV1",
        "aid": "00000000000000000000000000000001",
        "aip": "111.111.111.111",
        "cid": "00000000000000000000000000000002",
        "id": "11111111-0000-1111-0000-111111111111",
        "event":
          {
            "aid": "00000000000000000000000000000001",
            "event_simpleName": "Event_EppDetectionSummaryEvent",
            "name": "DnsRequestMacV1",
            "aip": "111.111.111.111",
            "cid": "00000000000000000000000000000002",
            "id": "11111111-0000-1111-0000-111111111111",
            "event_platform": "Mac",
            "timestamp": "2021-10-01 00:00:00.000Z",
            "ConfigBuild": "1007.4.0014301.11",
            "ConfigStateHash": "507116305",
            "Entitlements": "15",
            "ContextThreadId": "0",
            "ContextTimeStamp": "2021-10-08 19:55:04.448Z",
            "ContextProcessId": "111111111111111111",
            "EffectiveTransmissionClass": 2,
            "DomainName": "baddomain.com",
            "RequestType": "1",
          },
        "event_platform": "Mac",
        "fdr_event_type": "Event_EppDetectionSummaryEvent",
        "timestamp": "2021-10-01 00:00:00.000Z",
        "ConfigBuild": "1007.4.0014301.11",
        "ConfigStateHash": "507116305",
        "Entitlements": "15",
        "ContextThreadId": "0",
        "ContextTimeStamp": "2021-10-08 19:55:04.448Z",
        "ContextProcessId": "111111111111111111",
        "EffectiveTransmissionClass": 2,
        "RequestType": "1",
        "p_event_time": "2021-10-08 19:55:04.448Z",
        "p_parse_time": "2021-10-08 20:09:41.933Z",
        "p_log_type": "Crowdstrike.FDREvent",
        "p_row_id": "2ed00000000000000000000000000001",
        "p_source_id": "11111111-1111-1111-1111-111111111111",
        "p_source_label": "Crowdstrike",
        "p_any_ip_addresses": ["111.111.111.111"],
        "p_any_domain_names": ["baddomain.com"],
        "p_any_trace_ids":
          [
            "00000000000000000000000000000001",
            "00000000000000000000000000000002",
          ],
      }

Detection logic

Condition

not (p_log_type eq "Crowdstrike.FDREvent" and fdr_event_type ne "DnsRequest")
DomainName in "baddomain.com"

Exclusions

Top-level NOT(...) conjuncts: predicates this rule actively suppresses.

Field	Kind	Excluded values
`fdr_event_type`	ne	`DnsRequest`
`p_log_type`	eq	`Crowdstrike.FDREvent`

Indicators

Each row is a field, operator, and value that the rule matches. The corpus column counts how many other rules in the catalog look for the same combination: high numbers point to widely-used, community-vetted indicators. Blank or 1 shows that the indicator is specific to this rule.

Field	Kind	Values
`DomainName`	in	`baddomain.com`

Output fields

Fields the rule emits when it matches. Chronicle authors list these in the outcome block; they appear on the detection and $risk_score drives alerting. Sentinel / Defender XDR rules build them up through project / summarize / extend stages. Sentinel maps these into alert fields via entityMappings and customDetails; Defender XDR custom detections surface them as alert fields directly.

Field
`DomainName`
`ComputerName`

`j` / `k`	Scroll down / up
`d` / `u`	Half-page down / up
`gg` / `G`	Top / bottom
`h` / `l`	History back / forward
`f`	Follow link (`Shift` = new tab)
`/`	Focus search
`?`	Toggle this help
`↑` / `↓`	Navigate search results
`Enter`	Open highlighted result
`Esc`	Close results / dialog

`type:`	`events` / `rules` / `providers`
`vendor:`	`sigma` / `elastic` / `splunk` / `kusto` / `chronicle` (vendor name alone also works: `sigma:`, `kql:`, `secops:`…)
`tactic:`	TA-id, slug, or name: `credential_access`, `TA0006`
`technique:`	technique or sub-technique ID: `T1003`, `T1003.001` (alias `tech:`)
`severity:`	`critical` / `high` / `medium` / `low` / `informational` (alias `sev:`)
`risk_score`	Numeric comparison on the Elastic risk score (0 to 100): `risk_score>50`, `risk_score<=20`, `risk_score=99` (alias `risk`; Elastic rules only)
`stages:`	Rules with exactly N pipeline stages
`correlation:`	`single_event` / `sequence` / `alternatives` / `alternatives_cross_log` / `all_required` / `correlated`
`with:`	Co-occurrence event-id; stacks (`with:4624 with:4769`) to require all, while a comma list in one occurrence (`with:4624,4769`) is an either-or group. Implies multi-event
`like:`	Structural neighbors of a rule slug (equivalents + subsumption stricter / broader): `like:comsvcs_lsass_memory_dump-splunk-sysmon`
`groupby:`	Entity-grouping substring match against `group_by_keys`: `groupby:user`, `groupby:host`
`uses:`	Rules whose predicate tree touches the field (any kind, any value): `uses:CommandLine`
`excludes:`	Rules with top-level `not()` clauses on the field (FP whitelists): `excludes:ParentImage`
`field:` / `value:`	Predicate search; narrows rule cards to those with a matching leaf and drives the indicator tier. Unquoted = substring, wildcards allowed (`value:mimikatz`)
`indicator:`	Shorthand for `field:F value:V`: `indicator:Image=*\powershell.exe`
`kind:`	Filter by predicate kind. Narrows rule cards to those carrying a matching predicate leaf (`vendor:elastic kind:cidr_match`) and drives the indicator tier: `contains` / `starts_with` / `ends_with` / `regex` / `cidr` / `eq` / `in` … (operator aliases `op:`/`match:`)
`has:` / `no:`	`sample`, `field`, `notes`, `refs`, `trace`, `thirdparty`, `rule`, `pattern`, `timewindow`, `threshold`, `newterms`, `sigma`/`elastic`/`splunk`/`kusto`/`chronicle`
`-op:val`	Exclude matches; works on most operators but not `type:`/`like:`/`has:`/`no:` (use `no:<flag>` to exclude a rule flag): `tactic:execution -vendor:splunk`. Standalone `-kind:`/`-field:`/`-value:` drop every rule carrying a matching predicate leaf (`type:rules -kind:is_null`)
`field:"…"` / `value:"…"`	Quoted value = anchored exact match (also allows spaces): `value:"net user"`
`a,b`	Comma = OR inside one operator (`vendor:sigma,elastic`, `severity:high,critical`); repeating a facet merges the same way. `field:`/`value:` never split (literal commas)
`vendors:` / `stage:`	Singular and plural spellings fold to the canonical operator and value: `tactics:` = `tactic:`, `type:event` = `type:events`, `correlation:sequences` = `correlation:sequence`, `has:thresholds` = `has:threshold`
`"quoted phrase"`	Exact-match a multi-word phrase (free text)