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Description

This analytic identifies the unusual behavior of MSIExec spawning WinDBG. It is designed to detect potential malicious activities. The search specifically looks for instances where the parent process name is 'msiexec.exe' and the process name is 'windbg.exe'. During the triage process, it is recommended to review the file path for additional artifacts that may provide further insights into the event.

  • Type: TTP
  • Product: Splunk Enterprise, Splunk Enterprise Security, Splunk Cloud
  • Datamodel: Endpoint
  • Last Updated: 2023-10-31
  • Author: Michael Haag, Splunk
  • ID: 9a18f7c2-1fe3-47b8-9467-8b3976770a30

Annotations

ATT&CK

ATT&CK

ID Technique Tactic
T1218.007 Msiexec Defense Evasion
Kill Chain Phase
  • Exploitation
NIST
  • DE.CM
CIS20
  • CIS 10
CVE 


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| tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime from datamodel=Endpoint.Processes where Processes.parent_process_name=msiexec.exe Processes.process_name=windbg.exe by Processes.dest Processes.user Processes.parent_process_name Processes.parent_process_path Processes.parent_process Processes.process_name Processes.process_path Processes.process Processes.process_id Processes.parent_process_id 
| `drop_dm_object_name(Processes)` 
| `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` 
| `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`
| `windows_msiexec_spawn_windbg_filter`

Macros

The SPL above uses the following Macros:

:information_source: windows_msiexec_spawn_windbg_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.

  • Processes.dest
  • Processes.user
  • Processes.parent_process_name
  • Processes.parent_process_path
  • Processes.parent_process
  • Processes.process_name
  • Processes.process_path
  • Processes.process
  • Processes.process_id
  • Processes.parent_process_id

How To Implement

The detection is based on data that originates from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agents. These agents are designed to provide security-related telemetry from the endpoints where the agent is installed. To implement this search, you must ingest logs that contain the process GUID, process name, and parent process. Additionally, you must ingest complete command-line executions. These logs must be processed using the appropriate Splunk Technology Add-ons that are specific to the EDR product. The logs must also be mapped to the Processes node of the Endpoint data model. Use the Splunk Common Information Model (CIM) to normalize the field names and speed up the data modeling process.

Known False Positives

False positives will only be present if the MSIExec process legitimately spawns WinDBG. Filter as needed.

Associated Analytic Story

RBA

Risk Score Impact Confidence Message
100.0 100 100 An instance of $parent_process_name$ spawning $process_name$ was identified on endpoint $dest$ by user $user$.

: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

source | version: 1