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Description

This analytic detects attempts to exploit the ConnectWise ScreenConnect CVE-2024-1708 vulnerability, which allows an attacker to perform path traversal attacks by manipulating the file_path and file_name parameters in the URL. The vulnerability, identified as critical with a CVSS score of 9.8, enables unauthorized users to access sensitive files and directories on the host system, potentially leading to the exfiltration of sensitive data or the execution of arbitrary code. The search query provided looks for file system events that could indicate exploitation attempts. This detection is crucial for identifying and responding to active exploitation of this vulnerability in environments running affected versions of ScreenConnect (23.9.7 and prior). It is recommended to update to version 23.9.8 or above immediately to remediate the issue, as detailed in the ConnectWise security advisory and further analyzed by Huntress researchers.

  • Type: TTP
  • Product: Splunk Enterprise, Splunk Enterprise Security, Splunk Cloud
  • Datamodel: Endpoint
  • Last Updated: 2024-02-21
  • Author: Michael Haag, Splunk
  • ID: 56a3ac65-e747-41f7-b014-dff7423c1dda

Annotations

ATT&CK

ATT&CK

ID Technique Tactic
T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Access
Kill Chain Phase
  • Delivery
NIST
  • DE.CM
CIS20
  • CIS 10
CVE
ID Summary CVSS
CVE-2024-1708 ConnectWise ScreenConnect 23.9.7 and prior are affected by path-traversal vulnerability, which may allow an attacker  

the ability to execute remote code or directly impact confidential data or critical systems.

None  
CVE-2024-1709 ConnectWise ScreenConnect 23.9.7 and prior are affected by an Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel

vulnerability, which may allow an attacker direct access to confidential information or

critical systems.

None
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| tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime from datamodel=Endpoint.Filesystem where Filesystem.file_path IN ("*\\ScreenConnect\\App_Extensions\\*") Filesystem.file_name IN ("*.aspx","*.ashx") by Filesystem.file_create_time Filesystem.process_id Filesystem.process_guid Filesystem.file_name Filesystem.file_path Filesystem.dest 
| `drop_dm_object_name(Filesystem)` 
| `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` 
| `security_content_ctime(lastTime)` 
| `connectwise_screenconnect_path_traversal_filter`

Macros

The SPL above uses the following Macros:

:information_source: connectwise_screenconnect_path_traversal_filter is a empty macro by default. It allows the user to filter out any results (false positives) without editing the SPL.

Required fields

List of fields required to use this analytic.

  • Filesystem.file_create_time
  • Filesystem.process_id
  • Filesystem.process_guid
  • Filesystem.file_name
  • Filesystem.file_path
  • Filesystem.dest

How To Implement

This analytic utilizes the Endpoint datamodel Filesystem node to identify path traversal attempts against ScreenConnect. Note that using SACL auditing or other file system monitoring tools may also be used to detect path traversal attempts. Typically the data for this analytic will come from EDR or other properly CIM mapped data sources.

Known False Positives

False positives are not expected, as the detection is based on the presence of file system events that indicate path traversal attempts. The analytic may be modified to look for any file writes to this path as it is not common for files to write here.

Associated Analytic Story

RBA

Risk Score Impact Confidence Message
100.0 100 100 A path traversal attack against ScreenConnect has been detected on $dest$.

:information_source: The Risk Score is calculated by the following formula: Risk Score = (Impact * Confidence/100). Initial Confidence and Impact is set by the analytic author.

Reference

Test Dataset

Replay any dataset to Splunk Enterprise by using our replay.py tool or the UI. Alternatively you can replay a dataset into a Splunk Attack Range

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