Detection: Windows Phishing Outlook Drop Dll In FORM Dir

Updated Date: 2024-09-30 ID: fca01769-5163-4b3a-ae44-de874adfc9bc Author: Teoderick Contreras, Splunk Type: TTP Product: Splunk Enterprise Security

Description

The following analytic detects the creation of a DLL file by an outlook.exe process in the AppData\Local\Microsoft\FORMS directory. This detection leverages data from the Endpoint.Processes and Endpoint.Filesystem datamodels, focusing on process and file creation events. This activity is significant as it may indicate an attempt to exploit CVE-2024-21378, where a custom MAPI form loads a potentially malicious DLL. If confirmed malicious, this could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code, leading to further system compromise or data exfiltration.

1
2| tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count FROM datamodel=Endpoint.Processes where Processes.process_name=outlook.exe by _time span=1h Processes.process_id Processes.process_name Processes.process Processes.dest Processes.process_guid 
3| `drop_dm_object_name(Processes)` 
4| join process_guid, _time [ 
5| tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime FROM datamodel=Endpoint.Filesystem where Filesystem.file_name ="*.dll" Filesystem.file_path = "*\\AppData\\Local\\Microsoft\\FORMS\\IPM*" by _time span=1h Filesystem.dest Filesystem.file_create_time Filesystem.file_name Filesystem.file_path Filesystem.process_guid 
6| `drop_dm_object_name(Filesystem)` 
7| fields file_name file_path process_name process_path process dest file_create_time _time process_guid] 
8| `windows_phishing_outlook_drop_dll_in_form_dir_filter`

Data Source

Name Platform Sourcetype Source
Sysmon EventID 11 Windows icon Windows 'xmlwineventlog' 'XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational'

Macros Used

Name Value
security_content_summariesonly summariesonly=summariesonly_config allow_old_summaries=oldsummaries_config fillnull_value=fillnull_config``
windows_phishing_outlook_drop_dll_in_form_dir_filter search *
windows_phishing_outlook_drop_dll_in_form_dir_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
T1566 Phishing Initial Access
KillChainPhase.DELIVERY
NistCategory.DE_CM
Cis18Value.CIS_10
Axiom
GOLD SOUTHFIELD
INC Ransom

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 information on process that include the name of the process responsible for the changes from your endpoints into the Endpoint datamodel in the Filesystem node. In addition, confirm the latest CIM App 4.20 or higher is installed and the latest TA for the endpoint product.

Known False Positives

unknown

Associated Analytic Story

Risk Based Analytics (RBA)

Risk Message Risk Score Impact Confidence
an outlook process dropped dll file into $file_path$ on $dest$ 49 70 70
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