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Description

The following analytic identifies the Windows SDK utility - GACUtil.exe, being utilized to add a DLL into the Global Assembly Cache (GAC). Each computer where the Common Language Runtime is installed has a machine-wide code cache called the Global Assembly Cache. The Global Assembly Cache stores assemblies specifically designated to be shared by several applications on the computer. By adding a DLL to the GAC, this allows an adversary to call it via any other means across the operating systems. As outlined by Microsoft in their blog, it is not common to see this spawning from W3WP.exe, however, in a non-development environment it may not be common at all. Note that in order to utilize GACutil.exe, The Windows SDK must be installed, this is not a native binary.

  • Type: TTP
  • Product: Splunk Enterprise, Splunk Enterprise Security, Splunk Cloud
  • Datamodel: Endpoint
  • Last Updated: 2023-01-17
  • Author: Michael Haag, Splunk
  • ID: 7c025ef0-9e65-4c57-be39-1c13dbb1613e

Annotations

ATT&CK

ATT&CK

ID Technique Tactic
T1505 Server Software Component Persistence
T1505.004 IIS Components Persistence
Kill Chain Phase
  • Installation
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.process_name=gacutil.exe Processes.process IN ("*-i *","*/i *") by Processes.dest Processes.user Processes.parent_process_name Processes.process_name Processes.process Processes.process_id Processes.parent_process_id 
| `drop_dm_object_name(Processes)` 
| `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` 
| `security_content_ctime(lastTime)` 
| `windows_server_software_component_gacutil_install_to_gac_filter`

Macros

The SPL above uses the following Macros:

:information_source: windows_server_software_component_gacutil_install_to_gac_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.

  • _time
  • Processes.dest
  • Processes.user
  • Processes.parent_process_name
  • Processes.parent_process
  • Processes.original_file_name
  • Processes.process_name
  • Processes.process
  • Processes.process_id
  • Processes.parent_process_path
  • Processes.process_path
  • 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 may be present if gacutil.exe is utilized day to day by developers. Filter as needed.

Associated Analytic Story

RBA

Risk Score Impact Confidence Message
49.0 70 70 An instance of $parent_process_name$ spawning $process_name$ was identified on endpoint $dest$ by user $user$ attempting to add a module to the global assembly cache.

: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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