Detectionhightest

Suspicious Process By Web Server Process

Detects potentially suspicious processes being spawned by a web server process which could be the result of a successfully placed web shell or exploitation

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Launch

Thomas Patzke, Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), Zach Stanford, Tim Shelton, Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems)Created Wed Jan 16Updated Tue Nov 268202070f-edeb-4d31-a010-a26c72ac5600windows

Log Source

WindowsProcess Creation

ProductWindows← raw: windows

CategoryProcess Creation← raw: process_creation

Events generated when a new process is spawned on the system. Covers command-line arguments, parent/child relationships, and process metadata.

Detection Logic

detection:
    selection_webserver_image:
        ParentImage|endswith:
            - '\caddy.exe'
            - '\httpd.exe'
            - '\nginx.exe'
            - '\php-cgi.exe'
            - '\php.exe'
            - '\tomcat.exe'
            - '\UMWorkerProcess.exe'  # https://www.fireeye.com/blog/threat-research/2021/03/detection-response-to-exploitation-of-microsoft-exchange-zero-day-vulnerabilities.html
            - '\w3wp.exe'
            - '\ws_TomcatService.exe'
    selection_webserver_characteristics_tomcat1:
        ParentImage|endswith:
            - '\java.exe'
            - '\javaw.exe'
        ParentImage|contains:
            - '-tomcat-'
            - '\tomcat'
    selection_webserver_characteristics_tomcat2:
        ParentImage|endswith:
            - '\java.exe'
            - '\javaw.exe'
        ParentCommandLine|contains:
            - 'CATALINA_HOME'
            - 'catalina.home'
            - 'catalina.jar'
    selection_anomaly_children:
        Image|endswith:
            - '\arp.exe'
            - '\at.exe'
            - '\bash.exe'
            - '\bitsadmin.exe'
            - '\certutil.exe'
            - '\cmd.exe'
            - '\cscript.exe'
            - '\dsget.exe'
            - '\hostname.exe'
            - '\nbtstat.exe'
            - '\net.exe'
            - '\net1.exe'
            - '\netdom.exe'
            - '\netsh.exe'
            - '\nltest.exe'
            - '\ntdsutil.exe'
            - '\powershell_ise.exe'
            - '\powershell.exe'
            - '\pwsh.exe'
            - '\qprocess.exe'
            - '\query.exe'
            - '\qwinsta.exe'
            - '\reg.exe'
            - '\rundll32.exe'
            - '\sc.exe'
            - '\sh.exe'
            - '\wmic.exe'
            - '\wscript.exe'
            - '\wusa.exe'
    filter_main_fp_1:
        ParentImage|endswith: '\java.exe'
        CommandLine|endswith: 'Windows\system32\cmd.exe /c C:\ManageEngine\ADManager "Plus\ES\bin\elasticsearch.bat -Enode.name=RMP-NODE1 -pelasticsearch-pid.txt'
    filter_main_fp_2:
        ParentImage|endswith: '\java.exe'
        CommandLine|contains|all:
            - 'sc query'
            - 'ADManager Plus'
    condition: 1 of selection_webserver_* and selection_anomaly_children and not 1 of filter_main_*