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Sigma

Sigma rules for QakBot

5 rules · scoped to tool · back to QakBot
Direct rules mention this entity in their title or description. Related rules cover the techniques this entity is known to use.

Detection rules

5 of 5
direct high
ISO File Created Within Temp Folders
Detects the creation of a ISO file in the Outlook temp folder or in the Appdata temp folder. Typical of Qakbot TTP from end-July 2022.
status test author @sam0x90 id 2f9356ae-bf43-41b8-b858-4496d83b2acb license Sigma · DRL-1.1
view Sigma YAML
title: ISO File Created Within Temp Folders
id: 2f9356ae-bf43-41b8-b858-4496d83b2acb
status: test
description: Detects the creation of a ISO file in the Outlook temp folder or in the Appdata temp folder. Typical of Qakbot TTP from end-July 2022.
references:
    - https://twitter.com/Sam0x90/status/1552011547974696960
    - https://securityaffairs.co/wordpress/133680/malware/dll-sideloading-spread-qakbot.html
    - https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/0f229c0e42bfe7ca736a14023836d65baa941ed2/atomics/T1553.005/T1553.005.md#atomic-test-1---mount-iso-image
author: '@sam0x90'
date: 2022-07-30
tags:
    - attack.initial-access
    - attack.t1566.001
logsource:
    category: file_event
    product: windows
detection:
    selection_1:
        TargetFilename|contains|all:
            - '\AppData\Local\Temp\'
            - '.zip\'
        TargetFilename|endswith: '.iso'
    selection_2:
        TargetFilename|contains: '\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.Outlook\'
        TargetFilename|endswith: '.iso'
    condition: 1 of selection*
falsepositives:
    - Potential FP by sysadmin opening a zip file containing a legitimate ISO file
level: high
direct high
Potential Qakbot Registry Activity
Detects a registry key used by IceID in a campaign that distributes malicious OneNote files
status test author Hieu Tran id 1c8e96cd-2bed-487d-9de0-b46c90cade56 license Sigma · DRL-1.1
view Sigma YAML
title: Potential Qakbot Registry Activity
id: 1c8e96cd-2bed-487d-9de0-b46c90cade56
status: test
description: Detects a registry key used by IceID in a campaign that distributes malicious OneNote files
references:
    - https://www.zscaler.com/blogs/security-research/onenote-growing-threat-malware-distribution
author: Hieu Tran
date: 2023-03-13
tags:
    - attack.persistence
    - attack.defense-impairment
    - attack.t1112
logsource:
    category: registry_event
    product: windows
detection:
    selection:
        TargetObject|endswith: '\Software\firm\soft\Name'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: high
direct medium
Cscript/Wscript Potentially Suspicious Child Process
Detects potentially suspicious child processes of Wscript/Cscript. These include processes such as rundll32 with uncommon exports or PowerShell spawning rundll32 or regsvr32. Malware such as Pikabot and Qakbot were seen using similar techniques as well as many others.
status test author Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), Alejandro Houspanossian ('@lekz86') id b6676963-0353-4f88-90f5-36c20d443c6a license Sigma · DRL-1.1
view Sigma YAML
title: Cscript/Wscript Potentially Suspicious Child Process
id: b6676963-0353-4f88-90f5-36c20d443c6a
status: test
description: |
    Detects potentially suspicious child processes of Wscript/Cscript. These include processes such as rundll32 with uncommon exports or PowerShell spawning rundll32 or regsvr32.
    Malware such as Pikabot and Qakbot were seen using similar techniques as well as many others.
references:
    - Internal Research
    - https://github.com/pr0xylife/Pikabot/blob/fc58126127adf0f65e78f4eec59675523f48f086/Pikabot_30.10.2023.txt
    - https://github.com/pr0xylife/Pikabot/blob/fc58126127adf0f65e78f4eec59675523f48f086/Pikabot_22.12.2023.txt
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), Alejandro Houspanossian ('@lekz86')
date: 2023-05-15
modified: 2024-01-02
tags:
    - attack.execution
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection_parent:
        ParentImage|endswith:
            - '\wscript.exe'
            - '\cscript.exe'
    selection_cli_script_main:
        Image|endswith:
            - '\cmd.exe'
            - '\powershell.exe'
            - '\pwsh.exe'
    # Note: Add other combinations that are suspicious
    selection_cli_script_option_mshta:
        CommandLine|contains|all:
            - 'mshta'
            - 'http'
    selection_cli_script_option_other:
        CommandLine|contains:
            - 'rundll32'
            - 'regsvr32'
            - 'msiexec'
    selection_cli_standalone:
        Image|endswith: '\rundll32.exe'
    filter_main_rundll32_known_exports:
        Image|endswith: '\rundll32.exe'
        CommandLine|contains:
            - 'UpdatePerUserSystemParameters'
            - 'PrintUIEntry'
            - 'ClearMyTracksByProcess'
    condition: selection_parent and ( selection_cli_standalone or (selection_cli_script_main and 1 of selection_cli_script_option_*) ) and not 1 of filter_main_*
falsepositives:
    - Some false positives might occur with admin or third party software scripts. Investigate and apply additional filters accordingly.
level: medium
direct medium
Suspicious Windows Defender Folder Exclusion Added Via Reg.EXE
Detects the usage of "reg.exe" to add Defender folder exclusions. Qbot has been seen using this technique to add exclusions for folders within AppData and ProgramData.
status test author frack113 id 48917adc-a28e-4f5d-b729-11e75da8941f license Sigma · DRL-1.1
view Sigma YAML
title: Suspicious Windows Defender Folder Exclusion Added Via Reg.EXE
id: 48917adc-a28e-4f5d-b729-11e75da8941f
status: test
description: Detects the usage of "reg.exe" to add Defender folder exclusions. Qbot has been seen using this technique to add exclusions for folders within AppData and ProgramData.
references:
    - https://thedfirreport.com/2022/02/07/qbot-likes-to-move-it-move-it/
    - https://redcanary.com/threat-detection-report/threats/qbot/
author: frack113
date: 2022-02-13
modified: 2023-02-04
tags:
    - attack.defense-impairment
    - attack.t1685
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection:
        Image|endswith: '\reg.exe'
        CommandLine|contains:
            - 'SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Exclusions\Paths'
            - 'SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft Antimalware\Exclusions\Paths'
        CommandLine|contains|all:
            - 'ADD '
            - '/t '
            - 'REG_DWORD '
            - '/v '
            - '/d '
            - '0'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate use
level: medium
direct medium
Esentutl Steals Browser Information
One way Qbot steals sensitive information is by extracting browser data from Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge by using the built-in utility esentutl.exe
status test author frack113 id 6a69f62d-ce75-4b57-8dce-6351eb55b362 license Sigma · DRL-1.1
view Sigma YAML
title: Esentutl Steals Browser Information
id: 6a69f62d-ce75-4b57-8dce-6351eb55b362
status: test
description: One way Qbot steals sensitive information is by extracting browser data from Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge by using the built-in utility esentutl.exe
references:
    - https://thedfirreport.com/2022/02/07/qbot-likes-to-move-it-move-it/
    - https://redcanary.com/threat-detection-report/threats/qbot/
    - https://thedfirreport.com/2022/10/31/follina-exploit-leads-to-domain-compromise/
author: frack113
date: 2022-02-13
modified: 2024-03-05
tags:
    - attack.collection
    - attack.t1005
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection_img:
        - Image|endswith: '\esentutl.exe'
        - OriginalFileName: 'esentutl.exe'
    selection_flag:
        CommandLine|contains|windash: '-r'
    selection_webcache:
        CommandLine|contains: '\Windows\WebCache'
    condition: all of selection*
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate use
level: medium
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