false positives will be found. https and http is a url protocol handler that will trigger this analytic. tune based on process or command-line.

Techniques

T1059

Sample rules

Windows Identify Protocol Handlers

source: splunk
technicques:
- T1059

Description

The following analytic identifies the use of protocol handlers executed via the command line. It leverages data from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agents, focusing on process and command-line telemetry. This activity is significant because protocol handlers can be exploited to execute arbitrary commands or launch applications, potentially leading to unauthorized actions. If confirmed malicious, an attacker could use this technique to gain code execution, escalate privileges, or maintain persistence within the environment, posing a significant security risk.

Detection logic


| tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime values(Processes.process) as process values(Processes.parent_process) as parent_process FROM datamodel=Endpoint.Processes
  BY Processes.action Processes.dest Processes.original_file_name
     Processes.parent_process Processes.parent_process_exec Processes.parent_process_guid
     Processes.parent_process_id Processes.parent_process_name Processes.parent_process_path
     Processes.process Processes.process_exec Processes.process_guid
     Processes.process_hash Processes.process_id Processes.process_integrity_level
     Processes.process_name Processes.process_path Processes.user
     Processes.user_id Processes.vendor_product

| `security_content_ctime(firstTime)`

| `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`

| `drop_dm_object_name(Processes)`

| lookup windows_protocol_handlers handler AS process OUTPUT handler ishandler

| where ishandler="TRUE"

| `windows_identify_protocol_handlers_filter`