Detection: Detect attackers scanning for vulnerable JBoss servers

EXPERIMENTAL DETECTION

This detection status is set to experimental. The Splunk Threat Research team has not yet fully tested, simulated, or built comprehensive datasets for this detection. As such, this analytic is not officially supported. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to us at research@splunk.com.

Updated Date: 2024-05-19 ID: 104658f4-afdc-499e-9719-17243f982681 Author: Bhavin Patel, Splunk Type: TTP Product: Splunk Enterprise Security

Description

The following analytic identifies specific GET or HEAD requests to web servers that indicate reconnaissance attempts to find vulnerable JBoss servers. It leverages data from the Web data model, focusing on HTTP methods and URLs associated with JBoss management interfaces. This activity is significant because it often precedes exploitation attempts using tools like JexBoss, which can compromise the server. If confirmed malicious, attackers could gain unauthorized access, execute arbitrary code, or escalate privileges, leading to potential data breaches and system compromise.

1
2| tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime from datamodel=Web where (Web.http_method="GET" OR Web.http_method="HEAD") AND (Web.url="*/web-console/ServerInfo.jsp*" OR Web.url="*web-console*" OR Web.url="*jmx-console*" OR Web.url = "*invoker*") by Web.http_method, Web.url, Web.src, Web.dest 
3| `drop_dm_object_name("Web")` 
4| `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` 
5| `security_content_ctime(lastTime)` 
6| `detect_attackers_scanning_for_vulnerable_jboss_servers_filter`

Data Source

Name Platform Sourcetype Source Supported App
N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Macros Used

Name Value
security_content_ctime convert timeformat="%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S" ctime($field$)
detect_attackers_scanning_for_vulnerable_jboss_servers_filter search *
detect_attackers_scanning_for_vulnerable_jboss_servers_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
T1082 System Information Discovery Discovery
T1133 External Remote Services Initial Access
KillChainPhase.DELIVERY
KillChainPhase.EXPLOITAITON
KillChainPhase.INSTALLATION
NistCategory.DE_CM
Cis18Value.CIS_13
APT18
APT19
APT3
APT32
APT37
APT38
APT41
Aquatic Panda
Blue Mockingbird
Chimera
Confucius
Darkhotel
FIN13
FIN8
Gamaredon Group
HEXANE
Higaisa
Inception
Ke3chang
Kimsuky
Lazarus Group
Magic Hound
Malteiro
Moses Staff
MuddyWater
Mustang Panda
Mustard Tempest
OilRig
Patchwork
Rocke
Sandworm Team
SideCopy
Sidewinder
Sowbug
Stealth Falcon
TA2541
TeamTNT
ToddyCat
Tropic Trooper
Turla
Volt Typhoon
Windigo
Windshift
Wizard Spider
ZIRCONIUM
admin@338
APT18
APT28
APT29
APT41
Akira
Chimera
Dragonfly
FIN13
FIN5
GALLIUM
GOLD SOUTHFIELD
Ke3chang
Kimsuky
LAPSUS$
Leviathan
OilRig
Sandworm Team
Scattered Spider
TeamTNT
Threat Group-3390
Wizard Spider

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

You must be ingesting data from the web server or network traffic that contains web specific information, and populating the Web data model.

Known False Positives

It's possible for legitimate HTTP requests to be made to URLs containing the suspicious paths.

Associated Analytic Story

Risk Based Analytics (RBA)

Risk Message Risk Score Impact Confidence
tbd 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.

Detection Testing

Test Type Status Dataset Source Sourcetype
Validation Not Applicable N/A N/A N/A
Unit ❌ Failing N/A N/A N/A
Integration ❌ Failing N/A N/A N/A

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