Detection: Windows Event Triggered Image File Execution Options Injection

Updated Date: 2024-05-31 ID: f7abfab9-12ea-44e8-8745-475f9ca6e0a4 Author: Michael Haag, Splunk Type: Hunting Product: Splunk Enterprise Security

Description

The following analytic identifies the creation or modification of Image File Execution Options (IFEO) registry keys, detected via EventCode 3000 in the Application channel. This detection leverages Windows Event Logs to monitor for process names added to IFEO under specific registry paths. This activity is significant as it can indicate attempts to set traps for process monitoring or debugging, often used by attackers for persistence or evasion. If confirmed malicious, this could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code or manipulate process behavior, leading to potential system compromise.

Search

1`wineventlog_application` EventCode=3000 
2| rename param1 AS "Process" param2 AS "Exit_Code" 
3| stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime by Process Exit_Code dest 
4| `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` 
5| `security_content_ctime(lastTime)` 
6| `windows_event_triggered_image_file_execution_options_injection_filter`

Data Source

Name	Platform	Sourcetype	Source	Supported App
Windows Event Log Application 3000	Windows	`'XmlWinEventLog'`	`'XmlWinEventLog:Application'`	N/A

Macros Used

Name	Value
security_content_ctime	`convert timeformat="%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S" ctime($field$)`
windows_event_triggered_image_file_execution_options_injection_filter	`search *`

windows_event_triggered_image_file_execution_options_injection_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
T1546.012	Image File Execution Options Injection	Persistence

KillChainPhase.EXPLOITAITON

KillChainPhase.INSTALLATION

NistCategory.DE_AE

Cis18Value.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 Risk Event	False

This configuration file applies to all detections of type hunting.

Implementation

This analytic requires capturing the Windows Event Log Application channel in XML.

Known False Positives

False positives may be present and tuning will be required before turning into a TTP or notable.

Associated Analytic Story

Windows Persistence Techniques

Risk Based Analytics (RBA)

Risk Message	Risk Score	Impact	Confidence
Windows eventcode 3000 triggered on $dest$ potentially indicating persistence or a monitoring of a process has occurred.	25	50	50

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:Application`	`XmlWinEventLog`
Integration	✅ Passing	Dataset	`XmlWinEventLog:Application`	`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: 2