LoFP LoFP / it is not uncommon for outlook to write legitimate zip files to the disk.

Techniques

Sample rules

Detect Outlook exe writing a zip file

Description

The following analytic identifies the execution of outlook.exe writing a .zip file to the disk. It leverages data from the Endpoint data model, specifically monitoring process and filesystem activities. This behavior can be significant as it may indicate the use of Outlook to deliver malicious payloads or exfiltrate data via compressed files. If confirmed malicious, this activity could lead to unauthorized data access, data exfiltration, or the delivery of malware, potentially compromising the security of the affected system and network.

Detection logic


| tstats `security_content_summariesonly`
  min(_time) as firstTime
  max(_time) as lastTime

FROM datamodel=Endpoint.Processes where

Processes.process_name=outlook.exe

by _time span=5m
  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


| `drop_dm_object_name(Processes)`

| `security_content_ctime(firstTime)`

| `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`


| rename process_guid as malicious_id

| rename parent_process_id as outlook_id


| join malicious_id type=inner
  [
    
| tstats `security_content_summariesonly`
      count values(Filesystem.file_path) as file_path
            values(Filesystem.file_name) as file_name
      FROM datamodel=Endpoint.Filesystem where

      Filesystem.file_path=*.zip
      Filesystem.file_path IN ("*:\\Users*", "*\\AppData\\Local\\Temp*")
      Filesystem.action=created

      by _time span=5m
         Filesystem.process_guid Filesystem.process_id
         Filesystem.file_hash Filesystem.dest Filesystem.dvc
         Filesystem.signature Filesystem.signature_id

    
| `drop_dm_object_name(Filesystem)`
    
| `security_content_ctime(firstTime)`
    
| `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`

    
| rename process_guid as malicious_id

    
| fields malicious_id outlook_id dest
             file_path file_name
             file_hash count file_id
  ]

| table firstTime lastTime user malicious_id outlook_id
        process_name parent_process_name file_name file_path
        dest action original_file_name parent_process
        parent_process_name parent_process_exec parent_process_guid
        parent_process_id parent_process_path process_exec
        process_guid process_hash process_id process_integrity_level
        process_name process_path user user_id vendor_product


| where file_name != ""

| `detect_outlook_exe_writing_a_zip_file_filter`