Sigma rule: Potential PlugX Activity

Rule

Title

Potential PlugX Activity

Status

test

Level

high

Author

Florian Roth (Nextron Systems)

Date

2017-06-12

Modified

2023-02-03

File

rules-emerging-threats/2017/Malware/PlugX/proc_creation_win_malware_plugx_susp_exe_locations.yml

Commit

ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects the execution of an executable that is typically used by PlugX for DLL side loading starting from an uncommon location

Log source

product

windows

category

process_creation

Detection

selection_cammute:
    Image|endswith: '\CamMute.exe'
filter_cammute:
    Image|contains:
        - '\Lenovo\Communication Utility\'
        - '\Lenovo\Communications Utility\'
selection_chrome_frame:
    Image|endswith: '\chrome_frame_helper.exe'
filter_chrome_frame:
    Image|contains: '\Google\Chrome\application\'
selection_devemu:
    Image|endswith: '\dvcemumanager.exe'
filter_devemu:
    Image|contains: '\Microsoft Device Emulator\'
selection_gadget:
    Image|endswith: '\Gadget.exe'
filter_gadget:
    Image|contains: '\Windows Media Player\'
selection_hcc:
    Image|endswith: '\hcc.exe'
filter_hcc:
    Image|contains: '\HTML Help Workshop\'
selection_hkcmd:
    Image|endswith: '\hkcmd.exe'
filter_hkcmd:
    Image|contains:
        - '\System32\'
        - '\SysNative\'
        - '\SysWow64\'
selection_mc:
    Image|endswith: '\Mc.exe'
filter_mc:
    Image|contains:
        - '\Microsoft Visual Studio'
        - '\Microsoft SDK'
        - '\Windows Kit'
selection_msmpeng:
    Image|endswith: '\MsMpEng.exe'
filter_msmpeng:
    Image|contains:
        - '\Microsoft Security Client\'
        - '\Windows Defender\'
        - '\AntiMalware\'
selection_msseces:
    Image|endswith: '\msseces.exe'
filter_msseces:
    Image|contains:
        - '\Microsoft Security Center\'
        - '\Microsoft Security Client\'
        - '\Microsoft Security Essentials\'
selection_oinfo:
    Image|endswith: '\OInfoP11.exe'
filter_oinfo:
    Image|contains: '\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\'
selection_oleview:
    Image|endswith: '\OleView.exe'
filter_oleview:
    Image|contains:
        - '\Microsoft Visual Studio'
        - '\Microsoft SDK'
        - '\Windows Kit'
        - '\Windows Resource Kit\'
selection_rc:
    Image|endswith: '\rc.exe'
filter_rc:
    Image|contains:
        - '\Microsoft Visual Studio'
        - '\Microsoft SDK'
        - '\Windows Kit'
        - '\Windows Resource Kit\'
        - '\Microsoft.NET\'
condition: ( selection_cammute and not filter_cammute ) or ( selection_chrome_frame and not filter_chrome_frame ) or ( selection_devemu and not filter_devemu ) or ( selection_gadget and not filter_gadget ) or ( selection_hcc and not filter_hcc ) or ( selection_hkcmd and not filter_hkcmd ) or ( selection_mc and not filter_mc ) or ( selection_msmpeng and not filter_msmpeng ) or ( selection_msseces and not filter_msseces ) or ( selection_oinfo and not filter_oinfo ) or ( selection_oleview and not filter_oleview ) or ( selection_rc and not filter_rc )

False positives (as the rule lists them)

• Unknown

Tags

• attack.privilege-escalation
• attack.persistence
• attack.execution
• attack.stealth
• attack.s0013
• attack.t1574.001
• detection.emerging-threats

MITRE ATT&CK ids this rule names

• S0013
• T1574.001

References

• http://www.hexacorn.com/blog/2016/03/10/beyond-good-ol-run-key-part-36/
• https://countuponsecurity.com/2017/06/07/threat-hunting-in-the-enterprise-with-appcompatprocessor/

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/2017/Malware/PlugX/proc_creation_win_malware_plugx_susp_exe_locations.yml