Detection rules › Sigma

Microsoft Workflow Compiler Execution

Status
test
Severity
medium
Log source
category process_creation, product windows
Author
Nik Seetharaman, frack113
Source
github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma

Detects the execution of Microsoft Workflow Compiler, which may permit the execution of arbitrary unsigned code.

Known false positives

  • Legitimate MWC use (unlikely in modern enterprise environments)

MITRE ATT&CK coverage

Telemetry coverage

ProviderRecord / event type
SysmonEvent ID 1: Process creation

Rule body

title: Microsoft Workflow Compiler Execution
id: 419dbf2b-8a9b-4bea-bf99-7544b050ec8d
status: test
description: |
    Detects the execution of Microsoft Workflow Compiler, which may permit the execution of arbitrary unsigned code.
references:
    - https://posts.specterops.io/arbitrary-unsigned-code-execution-vector-in-microsoft-workflow-compiler-exe-3d9294bc5efb
    - https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1218/T1218.md
    - https://lolbas-project.github.io/lolbas/Binaries/Microsoft.Workflow.Compiler/
author: Nik Seetharaman, frack113
date: 2019-01-16
modified: 2023-02-03
tags:
    - attack.execution
    - attack.stealth
    - attack.t1127
    - attack.t1218
    - detection.threat-hunting
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection:
        - Image|endswith: '\Microsoft.Workflow.Compiler.exe'
        - OriginalFileName: 'Microsoft.Workflow.Compiler.exe'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate MWC use (unlikely in modern enterprise environments)
level: medium

Stages and Predicates

Stage 0: condition

selection

Stage 1: selection

selection:
    - Image|endswith: '\Microsoft.Workflow.Compiler.exe'
    - OriginalFileName: 'Microsoft.Workflow.Compiler.exe'

Indicators

These rows show field, operator, and value matches.

FieldKindValuesSearch
Imageends_with
  • \Microsoft.Workflow.Compiler.exe corpus 3 (sigma 3)
field:"Image" kind:ends_with value:"\Microsoft.Workflow.Compiler.exe"
OriginalFileNameeq
  • Microsoft.Workflow.Compiler.exe corpus 12 (elastic 7, sigma 3, splunk 2)
field:"OriginalFileName" kind:eq value:"Microsoft.Workflow.Compiler.exe"