attacker_tools_on_endpoint.yml

name: Attacker Tools On Endpoint
id: a51bfe1a-94f0-48cc-b4e4-16a110145893
version: 3
date: '2024-01-01'
author: Bhavin Patel, Splunk
status: production
type: TTP
description: |-
  The following analytic detects the use of tools that are commonly exploited by cybercriminals since these tools are usually associated with malicious activities such as unauthorized access, network scanning, or data exfiltration and pose a significant threat to an organization's security infrastructure. It also provides enhanced visibility into potential security threats and helps to proactively detect and respond to mitigate the risks associated with cybercriminal activities. This detection is made by examining the process activity on the host, specifically focusing on processes that are known to be associated with attacker tool names. This detection is important because it acts as an early warning system for potential security incidents that allows you to respond to security incidents promptly. False positives might occur due to legitimate administrative activities that can resemble malicious actions. You must develop a comprehensive understanding of typical endpoint activities and behaviors within the organization to accurately interpret and respond to the alerts generated by this analytic. This ensures a proper balance between precision and minimizing false positives.
data_source:
- Sysmon Event ID 1
search: '| tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time)
  as lastTime values(Processes.process) as process values(Processes.parent_process)
  as parent_process from datamodel=Endpoint.Processes where Processes.dest!=unknown
  Processes.user!=unknown by Processes.dest Processes.user Processes.process_name
  Processes.process | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`
  | `drop_dm_object_name(Processes)` | lookup attacker_tools attacker_tool_names AS
  process_name OUTPUT description | search description !=false| `attacker_tools_on_endpoint_filter`'
how_to_implement: 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: Some administrator activity can be potentially triggered, please
  add those users to the filter macro.
references: []
tags:
  analytic_story:
  - Monitor for Unauthorized Software
  - XMRig
  - SamSam Ransomware
  - Unusual Processes
  - CISA AA22-264A
  asset_type: Endpoint
  confidence: 80
  impact: 80
  message: An attacker tool $process_name$,listed in attacker_tools.csv is executed
    on host $dest$ by User $user$. This process $process_name$ is known to do- $description$
  mitre_attack_id:
  - T1036.005
  - T1036
  - T1003
  - T1595
  observable:
  - name: user
    type: User
    role:
    - Victim
  - name: dest
    type: Hostname
    role:
    - Victim
  - name: process_name
    type: Process
    role:
    - Attacker
  product:
  - Splunk Enterprise
  - Splunk Enterprise Security
  - Splunk Cloud
  required_fields:
  - Processes.dest
  - Processes.user
  - Processes.process_name
  - Processes.parent_process
  risk_score: 64
  security_domain: endpoint
tests:
- name: True Positive Test
  attack_data:
  - data: https://media.githubusercontent.com/media/splunk/attack_data/master/datasets/attack_techniques/T1595/attacker_scan_tools/windows-sysmon.log
    source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational
    sourcetype: xmlwineventlog