Sigma Rule Library

Suspicious Cobalt Strike DNS Beaconing - DNS Client

Detects a program that invoked suspicious DNS queries known from Cobalt Strike beacons

View on GitHubOpen raw file

Detection logic

selection_eid

EventID: 3008

selection_query_1

QueryName|startswith:
  - aaa.stage.
  - post.1

selection_query_2

QueryName|contains: .stage.123456.

Condition

selection_eid and 1 of selection_query_*

Raw YAML

title: Suspicious Cobalt Strike DNS Beaconing - DNS Client
id: 0d18728b-f5bf-4381-9dcf-915539fff6c2
related:
    - id: f356a9c4-effd-4608-bbf8-408afd5cd006
      type: similar
status: test
description: Detects a program that invoked suspicious DNS queries known from Cobalt Strike beacons
references:
    - https://www.icebrg.io/blog/footprints-of-fin7-tracking-actor-patterns
    - https://www.sekoia.io/en/hunting-and-detecting-cobalt-strike/
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems)
date: 2023-01-16
tags:
    - attack.t1071.004
    - attack.command-and-control
logsource:
    product: windows
    service: dns-client
    definition: 'Requirements: Microsoft-Windows-DNS Client Events/Operational Event Log must be enabled/collected in order to receive the events.'
detection:
    selection_eid:
        EventID: 3008
    selection_query_1:
        QueryName|startswith:
            - 'aaa.stage.'
            - 'post.1'
    selection_query_2:
        QueryName|contains: '.stage.123456.'
    condition: selection_eid and 1 of selection_query_*
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: critical

False positives

  • Unknown

References

Related rules

Similar rules

DNS Exfiltration and Tunneling Tools Execution

high

windows · Shares T1071

DNS Query by Finger Utility

high

windows · Shares T1071

DNS Query To Common Malware Hosting and Shortener Services

medium

windows · Shares T1071

DNS Query To Katz Stealer Domains

high

windows · Shares T1071