Suspicious Response File Execution Via Odbcconf.EXE — Sigma Rule

Rule metadata and linked tags

Author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems). Source status: test; severity: high. Source dates: 2023-05-22 / 2024-03-13.

{
  "category": "process_creation",
  "product": "windows"
}

Pinned original Sigma rule · Detection Rule License 1.1

Source SHA-256: 424eaab0054105f1fc3524076820e1dbbfa27adeda0db06300421489f7815301

Detection logic

Original source YAML. Source-tag agreement is not proof of complete semantic coverage. This rule has not been compiled for a SIEM backend or validated against live telemetry here.

title: Suspicious Response File Execution Via Odbcconf.EXE
id: 2d32dd6f-3196-4093-b9eb-1ad8ab088ca5
related:
    - id: 5f03babb-12db-4eec-8c82-7b4cb5580868
      type: derived
    - id: 65d2be45-8600-4042-b4c0-577a1ff8a60e
      type: obsolete
status: test
description: Detects execution of "odbcconf" with the "-f" flag in order to load a response file with a non-".rsp" extension.
references:
    - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/odbc/odbcconf-exe?view=sql-server-ver16
    - https://lolbas-project.github.io/lolbas/Binaries/Odbcconf/
    - https://www.trendmicro.com/en_us/research/17/h/backdoor-carrying-emails-set-sights-on-russian-speaking-businesses.html
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems)
date: 2023-05-22
modified: 2024-03-13
tags:
    - attack.stealth
    - attack.t1218.008
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection_img:
        - Image|endswith: '\odbcconf.exe'
        - OriginalFileName: 'odbcconf.exe'
    selection_cli:
        CommandLine|contains|windash: ' -f '
    filter_main_rsp_ext:
        CommandLine|contains: '.rsp'
    filter_main_runonce_odbc:
        # When odbcconf is run with the "/R" flag, it creates a "runonce" key to run at the next reboot
        ParentImage: 'C:\Windows\System32\runonce.exe'
        Image: 'C:\Windows\System32\odbcconf.exe'
        CommandLine|contains: '.exe /E /F "C:\WINDOWS\system32\odbcconf.tmp"'
    condition: all of selection_* and not 1 of filter_main_*
falsepositives:
    - Unlikely
level: high

Original YAML and metadata in JSON

False positives

• Unlikely

Source references

• https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/odbc/odbcconf-exe?view=sql-server-ver16
• https://lolbas-project.github.io/lolbas/Binaries/Odbcconf/
• https://www.trendmicro.com/en_us/research/17/h/backdoor-carrying-emails-set-sights-on-russian-speaking-businesses.html