PowerShell Script with Archive Compression Capabilities

Identifies the use of Cmdlets and methods related to archive compression activities. Adversaries will often compress and encrypt data in preparation for exfiltration.

Rule type: query

Rule indices:

winlogbeat-*
logs-windows.powershell*

Severity: low

Risk score: 21

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: Collection
Data Source: PowerShell Logs
Rule Type: BBR

Version: 106

Rule authors:

Elastic

Rule license: Elastic License v2

Setup

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Setup

The PowerShell Script Block Logging logging policy must be enabled. Steps to implement the logging policy with Advanced Audit Configuration:

Computer Configuration >
Administrative Templates >
Windows PowerShell >
Turn on PowerShell Script Block Logging (Enable)

Steps to implement the logging policy via registry:

reg add "hklm\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\PowerShell\ScriptBlockLogging" /v EnableScriptBlockLogging /t REG_DWORD /d 1

Rule query

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event.category:process and host.os.type:windows and
(
  powershell.file.script_block_text : (
    "IO.Compression.ZipFile" or
    "IO.Compression.ZipArchive" or
    "ZipFile.CreateFromDirectory" or
    "IO.Compression.BrotliStream" or
    "IO.Compression.DeflateStream" or
    "IO.Compression.GZipStream" or
    "IO.Compression.ZLibStream"
  ) and
  powershell.file.script_block_text : (
    "CompressionLevel" or
    "CompressionMode" or
    "ZipArchiveMode"
  ) or
  powershell.file.script_block_text : "Compress-Archive"
) and
not powershell.file.script_block_text : (
  "Compress-Archive -Path 'C:\ProgramData\Lenovo\Udc\diagnostics\latest" or
  ("Copyright: (c) 2017, Ansible Project" and "Ansible.ModuleUtils.Backup")
) and
not file.directory : "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Dependency Agent\plugins\lib"

Framework: MITRE ATT&CK^TM

Tactic:
- Name: Collection
- ID: TA0009
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0009/
Technique:
- Name: Archive Collected Data
- ID: T1560
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1560/
Tactic:
- Name: Execution
- ID: TA0002
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0002/
Technique:
- Name: Command and Scripting Interpreter
- ID: T1059
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/
Sub-technique:
- Name: PowerShell
- ID: T1059.001
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/001/

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