Sigma rule: Operation Wocao Activity

Rule

Title

Operation Wocao Activity

Status

test

Level

high

Author

Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), frack113

Date

2019-12-20

Modified

2022-10-09

File

rules-emerging-threats/2019/TA/Operation-Wocao/proc_creation_win_apt_wocao.yml

Commit

ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects activity mentioned in Operation Wocao report

Log source

product

windows

category

process_creation

definition

The 'System Security Extension' audit subcategory need to be enabled to log the EID 4697

Detection

selection:
    CommandLine|contains:
        - 'checkadmin.exe 127.0.0.1 -all'
        - 'netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name=powershell dir=in'
        - 'cmd /c powershell.exe -ep bypass -file c:\s.ps1'
        - '/tn win32times /f'
        - 'create win32times binPath='
        - '\c$\windows\system32\devmgr.dll'
        - ' -exec bypass -enc JgAg'
        - 'type *keepass\KeePass.config.xml'
        - 'iie.exe iie.txt'
        - 'reg query HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\\*\PuTTY\Sessions\'
condition: selection

False positives (as the rule lists them)

• Administrators that use checkadmin.exe tool to enumerate local administrators

Tags

• attack.privilege-escalation
• attack.persistence
• attack.discovery
• attack.stealth
• attack.t1012
• attack.t1036.004
• attack.t1027
• attack.execution
• attack.t1053.005
• attack.t1059.001
• detection.emerging-threats

MITRE ATT&CK ids this rule names

• T1012
• T1027
• T1036.004
• T1053.005
• T1059.001

Related rules

• 74ad4314-482e-4c3e-b237-3f7ed3b9ca8d (derived)

References

• https://www.fox-it.com/en/news/whitepapers/operation-wocao-shining-a-light-on-one-of-chinas-hidden-hacking-groups/
• https://twitter.com/SBousseaden/status/1207671369963646976

Read on 2026-11-03T00:58:21.399Z under licence sigma-drl-1.1@d5f4c36a from https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules-emerging-threats/2019/TA/Operation-Wocao/proc_creation_win_apt_wocao.yml