title: Webshell Detection With Command Line Keywords
id: bed2a484-9348-4143-8a8a-b801c979301c
description: Detects certain command line parameters often used during reconnaissance activity via web shells
author: Florian Roth, Jonhnathan Ribeiro, Anton Kutepov, oscd.community
references:
    - https://www.fireeye.com/blog/threat-research/2013/08/breaking-down-the-china-chopper-web-shell-part-ii.html
    - https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/bumblebee-webshell-xhunt-campaign/
date: 2017/01/01
modified: 2021/03/02
tags:
    - attack.persistence
    - attack.t1505.003
    - attack.t1018
    - attack.t1033
    - attack.t1087
    - attack.privilege_escalation       # an old one
    - attack.t1100      # an old one
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    parent_is_web_server_process:
        - ParentImage|endswith:
            - '\w3wp.exe'
            - '\php-cgi.exe'
            - '\nginx.exe'
            - '\httpd.exe'
        - ParentImage|contains:
            - '\apache'
            - '\tomcat'
    net_utility:
        Image|endswith:
            - '\net.exe'
            - '\net1.exe'
        CommandLine|contains:
            - ' user '
            - ' use '
            - ' group '
    ping_utility:
        Image|endswith: '\ping.exe'
        CommandLine|contains: ' -n '
    change_dir:
        CommandLine|contains:
            - '&cd&echo'  # china chopper web shell
            - 'cd /d '  # https://www.computerhope.com/cdhlp.htm
    wmic_utility:
        Image|endswith: '\wmic.exe'
        CommandLine|contains: ' /node:' 
    misc_discovery_binaries:
        Image|endswith:
            - '\whoami.exe'
            - '\systeminfo.exe'
            - '\quser.exe'
            - '\ipconfig.exe' 
            - '\pathping.exe' 
            - '\tracert.exe' 
            - '\netstat.exe' 
            - '\schtasks.exe' 
            - '\vssadmin.exe' 
            - '\wevtutil.exe' 
            - '\tasklist.exe' 
    misc_discovery_commands:
        CommandLine|contains:
            - ' Test-NetConnection '
            - 'dir \'  # remote dir: dir \<redacted IP #3>\C$:\windows\temp\*.exe
    condition: parent_is_web_server_process and (net_utility or ping_utility or change_dir or wmic_utility or misc_discovery_binaries or misc_discovery_commands)
fields:
    - CommandLine
    - ParentCommandLine
falsepositives:
    - unknown
level: high