Detectionmediumexperimental

Suspicious Non-Browser Network Communication With Google API

Detects a non-browser process interacting with the Google API which could indicate the use of a covert C2 such as Google Sheet C2 (GC2-sheet)

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Gavin KnappCreated Mon May 01Updated Sat Feb 227e9cf7b6-e827-11ed-a05b-0242ac120003windows

Log Source

WindowsNetwork Connection

ProductWindows← raw: windows

CategoryNetwork Connection← raw: network_connection

Events for outbound and inbound network connections including DNS resolution.

Detection Logic

detection:
    selection:
        DestinationHostname|contains:
            # Note: Please add additional google API related domains that might be abused.
            - 'drive.googleapis.com'
            - 'oauth2.googleapis.com'
            - 'sheets.googleapis.com'
            - 'www.googleapis.com'
    filter_optional_brave:
        Image|endswith: '\brave.exe'
    filter_optional_chrome:
        Image|endswith:
            - ':\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe'
            - ':\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe'
    filter_optional_google_drive:
        Image|contains: ':\Program Files\Google\Drive File Stream\'
        Image|endswith: '\GoogleDriveFS.exe'
    filter_optional_firefox:
        Image|endswith:
            - ':\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe'
            - ':\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe'
    filter_optional_ie:
        Image|endswith:
            - ':\Program Files (x86)\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe'
            - ':\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe'
    filter_optional_maxthon:
        Image|endswith: '\maxthon.exe'
    filter_optional_edge_1:
        - Image|contains: ':\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\EdgeWebView\Application\'
        - Image|endswith:
              - ':\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\msedge.exe'
              - ':\Program Files\Microsoft\Edge\Application\msedge.exe'
              - '\WindowsApps\MicrosoftEdge.exe'
    filter_optional_edge_2:
        Image|contains:
            - ':\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\EdgeCore\'
            - ':\Program Files\Microsoft\EdgeCore\'
        Image|endswith:
            - '\msedge.exe'
            - '\msedgewebview2.exe'
    filter_optional_opera:
        Image|endswith: '\opera.exe'
    filter_optional_safari:
        Image|endswith: '\safari.exe'
    filter_optional_seamonkey:
        Image|endswith: '\seamonkey.exe'
    filter_optional_vivaldi:
        Image|endswith: '\vivaldi.exe'
    filter_optional_whale:
        Image|endswith: '\whale.exe'
    filter_optional_googleupdate:
        Image|endswith: '\GoogleUpdate.exe'
    filter_optional_outlook_exe:
        Image|endswith: '\outlook.exe'
    filter_main_null:
        Image: null
    filter_main_empty:
        Image: ''
    condition: selection and not 1 of filter_main_* and not 1 of filter_optional_*

False Positives

Legitimate applications communicating with the "googleapis.com" endpoints that are not already in the exclusion list. This is environmental dependent and requires further testing and tuning.

References

MITRE ATT&CK