Program Files Directory Masquerading

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Identifies execution from a directory masquerading as the Windows Program Files directories. These paths are trusted and usually host trusted third party programs. An adversary may leverage masquerading, along with low privileges to bypass detections allowlisting those folders.

Rule type: eql

Rule indices:

  • winlogbeat-*
  • logs-endpoint.events.process-*
  • logs-windows.forwarded*
  • logs-windows.sysmon_operational-*
  • endgame-*
  • logs-system.security*
  • logs-m365_defender.event-*
  • logs-sentinel_one_cloud_funnel.*
  • logs-crowdstrike.fdr*

Severity: medium

Risk score: 47

Runs every: 5m

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

Maximum alerts per execution: 100

References: None

Tags:

  • Domain: Endpoint
  • OS: Windows
  • Use Case: Threat Detection
  • Tactic: Defense Evasion
  • Data Source: Elastic Endgame
  • Data Source: Elastic Defend
  • Data Source: System
  • Data Source: Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
  • Data Source: Sysmon
  • Data Source: SentinelOne
  • Data Source: Crowdstrike

Version: 312

Rule authors:

  • Elastic

Rule license: Elastic License v2

Rule query

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process where host.os.type == "windows" and event.type == "start" and
  process.executable : (
    "C:\\*Program*Files*\\*.exe",
    "\\Device\\HarddiskVolume?\\*Program*Files*\\*.exe"
  ) and
  not process.executable : (
        "?:\\Program Files\\*.exe",
        "?:\\Program Files (x86)\\*.exe",
        "?:\\Users\\*.exe",
        "?:\\ProgramData\\*.exe",
        "?:\\Windows\\Downloaded Program Files\\*.exe",
        "?:\\Windows\\Temp\\.opera\\????????????\\CProgram?FilesOpera*\\*.exe",
        "?:\\Windows\\Temp\\.opera\\????????????\\CProgram?Files?(x86)Opera*\\*.exe"
  ) and
  not (
    event.dataset == "crowdstrike.fdr" and
      process.executable : (
        "\\Device\\HarddiskVolume?\\Program Files\\*.exe",
        "\\Device\\HarddiskVolume?\\Program Files (x86)\\*.exe",
        "\\Device\\HarddiskVolume?\\Users\\*.exe",
        "\\Device\\HarddiskVolume?\\ProgramData\\*.exe",
        "\\Device\\HarddiskVolume?\\Windows\\Downloaded Program Files\\*.exe",
        "\\Device\\HarddiskVolume?\\Windows\\Temp\\.opera\\????????????\\CProgram?FilesOpera*\\*.exe",
        "\\Device\\HarddiskVolume?\\Windows\\Temp\\.opera\\????????????\\CProgram?Files?(x86)Opera*\\*.exe"
      )
  )

Framework: MITRE ATT&CKTM