Suspicious Debugger Registration Cmdline

Detects the registration of a debugger for a program that is available in the logon screen (sticky key backdoor).

Rule Content

- title: Suspicious Debugger Registration Cmdline
  id: ae215552-081e-44c7-805f-be16f975c8a2
  status: experimental
  description: Detects the registration of a debugger for a program that is available
    in the logon screen (sticky key backdoor).
  references:
  - https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/jonathantrull/2016/10/03/detecting-sticky-key-backdoors/
  tags:
  - attack.persistence
  - attack.privilege_escalation
  - attack.t1015
  author: Florian Roth
  date: 2019/09/06
  logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
    service: null
  detection:
    selection:
      CommandLine:
      - '*\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\sethc.exe*'
      - '*\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\utilman.exe*'
      - '*\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\osk.exe*'
      - '*\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\magnify.exe*'
      - '*\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\narrator.exe*'
      - '*\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\displayswitch.exe*'
      - '*\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\atbroker.exe*'
    condition: selection
  falsepositives:
  - Penetration Tests
  level: high

Querying Elasticsearch

Import Libraries



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from elasticsearch import Elasticsearch
from elasticsearch_dsl import Search
import pandas as pd

Initialize Elasticsearch client



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es = Elasticsearch(['http://helk-elasticsearch:9200'])
searchContext = Search(using=es, index='logs-*', doc_type='doc')

Run Elasticsearch Query



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s = searchContext.query('query_string', query='process_command_line.keyword:(*\\CurrentVersion\\Image\ File\ Execution\ Options\\sethc.exe* OR *\\CurrentVersion\\Image\ File\ Execution\ Options\\utilman.exe* OR *\\CurrentVersion\\Image\ File\ Execution\ Options\\osk.exe* OR *\\CurrentVersion\\Image\ File\ Execution\ Options\\magnify.exe* OR *\\CurrentVersion\\Image\ File\ Execution\ Options\\narrator.exe* OR *\\CurrentVersion\\Image\ File\ Execution\ Options\\displayswitch.exe* OR *\\CurrentVersion\\Image\ File\ Execution\ Options\\atbroker.exe*)')
response = s.execute()
if response.success():
    df = pd.DataFrame((d.to_dict() for d in s.scan()))

Show Results



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df.head()