Detection: Windows Visual Basic Commandline Compiler DNSQuery

Description

The following analytic detects instances where vbc.exe, the Visual Basic Command Line Compiler, initiates DNS queries. Normally, vbc.exe operates locally to compile Visual Basic code and does not require internet access or to perform DNS lookups. Therefore, any observed DNS activity originating from vbc.exe is highly suspicious and indicative of potential malicious activity. This behavior often suggests that a malicious payload is masquerading as the legitimate vbc.exe process to establish command-and-control (C2) communication, resolve domains for data exfiltration, or download additional stages of malware. Security teams should investigate the process's parent, command-line arguments, and the resolved domains for further indicators of compromise.

1`sysmon` EventCode=22 process_name="vbc.exe" 
2| rename dvc as dest 
3| stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime by answer answer_count dest process_exec process_guid process_name  query query_count reply_code_id signature signature_id src user_id vendor_product QueryName QueryResults QueryStatus 
4| `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` 
5| `security_content_ctime(lastTime)` 
6| `windows_visual_basic_commandline_compiler_dnsquery_filter`

Data Source

Name Platform Sourcetype Source
Sysmon EventID 22 Windows icon Windows 'XmlWinEventLog' 'XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational'

Macros Used

Name Value
security_content_ctime convert timeformat="%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S" ctime($field$)
windows_visual_basic_commandline_compiler_dnsquery_filter search *
windows_visual_basic_commandline_compiler_dnsquery_filter is an empty macro by default. It allows the user to filter out any results (false positives) without editing the SPL.

Annotations

- MITRE ATT&CK
+ Kill Chain Phases
+ NIST
+ CIS
- Threat Actors
ID Technique Tactic
T1071.004 DNS Command And Control
Command and Control
DE.CM
CIS 10

Default Configuration

This detection is configured by default in Splunk Enterprise Security to run with the following settings:

Setting Value
Disabled true
Cron Schedule 0 * * * *
Earliest Time -70m@m
Latest Time -10m@m
Schedule Window auto
Creates Notable Yes
Rule Title %name%
Rule Description %description%
Notable Event Fields user, dest
Creates Risk Event True
This configuration file applies to all detections of type TTP. These detections will use Risk Based Alerting and generate Notable Events.

Implementation

To successfully implement this search, you need to be ingesting logs with the process name and eventcode = 22 dnsquery executions from your endpoints. If you are using Sysmon, you must have at least version 6.0.4 of the Sysmon TA. Tune and filter known instances where renamed rundll32.exe may be used.

Known False Positives

unknown

Associated Analytic Story

Risk Based Analytics (RBA)

Risk Message:

vbc.exe process [$process_name$] made a DNS query for $query$ from host $dest$.

Risk Object Risk Object Type Risk Score Threat Objects
dest system 50 process_name

References

Detection Testing

Test Type Status Dataset Source Sourcetype
Validation Passing N/A N/A N/A
Unit Passing Dataset XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational XmlWinEventLog
Integration ✅ Passing Dataset XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational XmlWinEventLog

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: GitHub | Version: 1