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.
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
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
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
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
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