Remote File Download via MpCmdRun

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Identifies the Windows Defender configuration utility (MpCmdRun.exe) being used to download a remote file.

Rule type: eql

Rule indices:

  • winlogbeat-*
  • logs-endpoint.events.*
  • logs-windows.*

Severity: medium

Risk score: 47

Runs every: 5 minutes

Searches indices from: now-9m (Date Math format, see also Additional look-back time)

Maximum alerts per execution: 100

References:

Tags:

  • Elastic
  • Host
  • Windows
  • Threat Detection
  • Command and Control

Version: 5 (version history)

Added (Elastic Stack release): 7.10.0

Last modified (Elastic Stack release): 7.13.0

Rule authors: Elastic

Rule license: Elastic License v2

Investigation guide

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Triage and analysis

Investigating Remote File Download via MpCmdRun Verify details such as the parent process, URL reputation, and downloaded file details. Additionally, MpCmdRun logs this information in the Appdata Temp folder in MpCmdRun.log.

Rule query

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process where event.type == "start" and (process.name :
"MpCmdRun.exe" or process.pe.original_file_name == "MpCmdRun.exe") and
process.args : "-DownloadFile" and process.args : "-url" and
process.args : "-path"

Threat mapping

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Framework: MITRE ATT&CKTM

Rule version history

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Version 5 (7.13.0 release)
  • Updated query, changed from:

    event.category:process and event.type:(start or process_started) and
    (process.name:MpCmdRun.exe or
    process.pe.original_file_name:MpCmdRun.exe) and
    process.args:(("-DownloadFile" or "-downloadfile") and "-url" and
    "-path")
Version 4 (7.12.0 release)
  • Formatting only
Version 3 (7.11.2 release)
  • Formatting only
Version 2 (7.11.0 release)
  • Updated query, changed from:

    event.category:process and event.type:(start or process_started) and
    (process.name:MpCmdRun.exe or
    process.pe.original_file_name:MpCmdRun.exe or
    winlog.event_data.OriginalFileName:MpCmdRun.exe) and
    process.args:(("-DownloadFile" or "-downloadfile") and "-url" and
    "-path")