Detection: VMWare Aria Operations Exploit Attempt

Updated Date: 2024-05-19 ID: d5d865e4-03e6-43da-98f4-28a4f42d4df7 Author: Michael Haag, Splunk Type: TTP Product: Splunk Enterprise Security

Description

The following analytic detects potential exploitation attempts against VMWare vRealize Network Insight, specifically targeting the CVE-2023-20887 vulnerability. It monitors web traffic for HTTP POST requests directed at the vulnerable endpoint "/saas./resttosaasservlet." This detection leverages web traffic data, focusing on specific URL patterns and HTTP methods. Identifying this behavior is crucial for a SOC as it indicates an active exploit attempt. If confirmed malicious, the attacker could execute arbitrary code, leading to unauthorized access, data theft, or further network compromise.

1
2| tstats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime from datamodel=Web where Web.url IN ("*/saas./resttosaasservlet*")  Web.http_method=POST Web.status IN ("unknown", "200") by Web.http_user_agent, Web.status Web.http_method, Web.url, Web.url_length, Web.src, Web.dest, sourcetype 
3| `drop_dm_object_name("Web")` 
4| `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` 
5| `security_content_ctime(lastTime)` 
6| `vmware_aria_operations_exploit_attempt_filter`

Data Source

Name Platform Sourcetype Source Supported App
Palo Alto Network Threat Network icon Network 'pan:threat' 'pan:threat' N/A

Macros Used

Name Value
security_content_ctime convert timeformat="%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S" ctime($field$)
vmware_aria_operations_exploit_attempt_filter search *
vmware_aria_operations_exploit_attempt_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
T1133 External Remote Services Initial Access
T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Persistence
T1210 Exploitation of Remote Services Initial Access
T1068 Exploitation for Privilege Escalation Lateral Movement
KillChainPhase.DELIVERY
KillChainPhase.EXPLOITAITON
KillChainPhase.INSTALLATION
NistCategory.DE_CM
Cis18Value.CIS_13
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
APT28
APT29
APT39
APT41
APT5
Axiom
BackdoorDiplomacy
BlackTech
Blue Mockingbird
Cinnamon Tempest
Dragonfly
Earth Lusca
FIN13
FIN7
Fox Kitten
GALLIUM
GOLD SOUTHFIELD
HAFNIUM
Ke3chang
Kimsuky
Magic Hound
Moses Staff
MuddyWater
Rocke
Sandworm Team
Threat Group-3390
ToddyCat
Volatile Cedar
Volt Typhoon
menuPass
APT28
Dragonfly
Earth Lusca
FIN7
Fox Kitten
MuddyWater
Threat Group-3390
Tonto Team
Wizard Spider
menuPass
APT28
APT29
APT32
APT33
BITTER
Cobalt Group
FIN6
FIN8
LAPSUS$
MoustachedBouncer
PLATINUM
Scattered Spider
Threat Group-3390
Tonto Team
Turla
Whitefly
ZIRCONIUM

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 web or proxy logs, or ensure it is being filled by a proxy like device, into the Web Datamodel. Restrict to specific dest assets to reduce false positives.

Known False Positives

False positives will be present based on gateways in use, modify the status field as needed.

Associated Analytic Story

Risk Based Analytics (RBA)

Risk Message Risk Score Impact Confidence
An exploitation attempt has occurred against $dest$ from $src$ related to CVE-2023-20887 72 90 80
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 pan:threat pan:threat
Integration ✅ Passing Dataset pan:threat pan:threat

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