Execution of File Written or Modified by PDF Reader

Identifies a suspicious file that was written by a PDF reader application and subsequently executed. These processes are often launched via exploitation of PDF applications.

Rule type: eql

Rule indices:

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

Severity: high

Risk score: 21

Runs every: 60 minutes

Searches indices from: now-120m (Date Math format, see also Additional look-back time)

Maximum alerts per execution: 100

Tags:

Elastic
Host
Windows
Threat Detection
Execution

Version: 4 (version history)

Added (Elastic Stack release): 7.10.0

Last modified (Elastic Stack release): 7.14.0

Rule authors: Elastic

Rule license: Elastic License v2

Rule query

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sequence with maxspan=2h [file where event.type != "deletion" and
file.extension : "exe" and (process.name : "AcroRd32.exe" or
process.name : "rdrcef.exe" or process.name :
"FoxitPhantomPDF.exe" or process.name : "FoxitReader.exe") and
not (file.name : "FoxitPhantomPDF.exe" or file.name :
"FoxitPhantomPDFUpdater.exe" or file.name :
"FoxitReader.exe" or file.name : "FoxitReaderUpdater.exe" or
file.name : "AcroRd32.exe" or file.name : "rdrcef.exe") ]
by host.id, file.path [process where event.type in ("start",
"process_started")] by host.id, process.executable

Threat mapping

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Framework: MITRE ATT&CK^TM

Tactic:
- Name: Execution
- ID: TA0002
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0002/
Tactic:
- Name: Initial Access
- ID: TA0001
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0001/
Technique:
- Name: Phishing
- ID: T1566
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1566/

Rule version history

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Version 4 (7.14.0 release)

Formatting only

Version 3 (7.12.0 release)

Formatting only

Version 2 (7.11.0 release)

Formatting only

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