Adding Hidden File Attribute via Attrib

Adversaries can add the hidden attribute to files to hide them from the user in an attempt to evade detection.

Rule type: eql

Rule indices:

• winlogbeat-*
• logs-endpoint.events.*
• logs-windows.*

Severity: low

Risk score: 21

Runs every: 5m

Searches indices from: now-9m (https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/common-options.html#date-math[Date Math format], see also Additional look-back time)

Maximum alerts per execution: 100

References: None

Tags:

• Elastic
• Host
• Windows
• Threat Detection
• Defense Evasion

Version: 12

Rule authors:

• Elastic

Rule license: Elastic License v2

If enabling an EQL rule on a non-elastic-agent index (such as beats) for versions <8.2, events will not define event.ingested and default fallback for EQL rules was not added until 8.2, so you will need to add a custom pipeline to populate event.ingested to @timestamp for this rule to work.

process where event.type in ("start", "process_started") and
  process.name : "attrib.exe" and process.args : "+h"

Framework: MITRE ATT&CKTM

• Tactic:

  • Name: Defense Evasion
  • ID: TA0005
  • Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0005/

• Technique:

  • Name: Hide Artifacts
  • ID: T1564
  • Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1564/

• Sub-technique:

  • Name: Hidden Files and Directories
  • ID: T1564.001
  • Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1564/001/

• Tactic:

  • Name: Persistence
  • ID: TA0003
  • Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0003/