Detection: Windows NirSoft AdvancedRun

Updated Date: 2024-08-15 ID: bb4f3090-7ae4-11ec-897f-acde48001122 Author: Michael Haag, Splunk Type: TTP Product: Splunk Enterprise Security

Description

The following analytic detects the execution of AdvancedRun.exe, a tool with capabilities similar to remote administration programs like PsExec. It identifies the process by its name or original file name and flags common command-line arguments. This detection leverages data from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agents, focusing on process and command-line telemetry. Monitoring this activity is crucial as AdvancedRun can be used for remote code execution and configuration-based automation. If malicious, this could allow attackers to execute arbitrary commands, escalate privileges, or maintain persistence within the environment.

1
2| tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime from datamodel=Endpoint.Processes where (Processes.process_name=advancedrun.exe OR Processes.original_file_name=advancedrun.exe) Processes.process IN ("*EXEFilename*","*/cfg*","*RunAs*", "*WindowState*") by Processes.dest Processes.user Processes.parent_process_name Processes.process_name Processes.process Processes.original_file_name Processes.process_id Processes.parent_process_id 
3| `drop_dm_object_name(Processes)` 
4| `security_content_ctime(firstTime)`
5| `security_content_ctime(lastTime)` 
6| `windows_nirsoft_advancedrun_filter`

Data Source

Name Platform Sourcetype Source Supported App
CrowdStrike ProcessRollup2 N/A 'crowdstrike:events:sensor' 'crowdstrike' N/A

Macros Used

Name Value
security_content_ctime convert timeformat="%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S" ctime($field$)
windows_nirsoft_advancedrun_filter search *
windows_nirsoft_advancedrun_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
T1588.002 Tool Resource Development
KillChainPhase.WEAPONIZATION
NistCategory.DE_CM
Cis18Value.CIS_10
APT-C-36
APT1
APT19
APT28
APT29
APT32
APT33
APT38
APT39
APT41
Aoqin Dragon
Aquatic Panda
BITTER
BRONZE BUTLER
BackdoorDiplomacy
BlackTech
Blue Mockingbird
Carbanak
Chimera
Cinnamon Tempest
Cleaver
Cobalt Group
CopyKittens
DarkHydrus
DarkVishnya
Dragonfly
Earth Lusca
Ember Bear
FIN10
FIN13
FIN5
FIN6
FIN7
FIN8
Ferocious Kitten
GALLIUM
Gorgon Group
HEXANE
Inception
IndigoZebra
Ke3chang
Kimsuky
LAPSUS$
Lazarus Group
Leafminer
LuminousMoth
Magic Hound
Metador
Moses Staff
MuddyWater
POLONIUM
Patchwork
PittyTiger
Sandworm Team
Silence
Silent Librarian
TA2541
TA505
Threat Group-3390
Thrip
Turla
Volt Typhoon
WIRTE
Whitefly
Wizard Spider
menuPass

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

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 should be limited as it is specific to AdvancedRun. Filter as needed based on legitimate usage.

Associated Analytic Story

Risk Based Analytics (RBA)

Risk Message Risk Score Impact Confidence
An instance of advancedrun.exe, $process_name$, was spawned by $parent_process_name$ on $dest$ by $user$. 60 60 100
The Risk Score is calculated by the following formula: Risk Score = (Impact * Confidence/100). Initial Confidence and Impact is set by the analytic author.

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: 3