Network Connection Initiated By AddinUtil.EXE — Sigma Rule

Rule metadata and linked tags

Author: Michael McKinley (@McKinleyMike), Tony Latteri (@TheLatteri). Source status: test; severity: high. Source dates: 2023-09-18 / 2024-07-16.

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

Pinned original Sigma rule · Detection Rule License 1.1

Source SHA-256: e61bde802e1c227cc22dfcb407c520fd52228bd6a4e825a516901762e1f6df1a

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: Network Connection Initiated By AddinUtil.EXE
id: 5205613d-2a63-4412-a895-3a2458b587b3
status: test
description: |
    Detects a network connection initiated by the Add-In deployment cache updating utility "AddInutil.exe".
    This could indicate a potential command and control communication as this tool doesn't usually initiate network activity.
references:
    - https://www.blue-prints.blog/content/blog/posts/lolbin/addinutil-lolbas.html
author: Michael McKinley (@McKinleyMike), Tony Latteri (@TheLatteri)
date: 2023-09-18
modified: 2024-07-16
tags:
    - attack.stealth
    - attack.t1218
logsource:
    category: network_connection
    product: windows
detection:
    selection:
        Initiated: 'true'
        Image|endswith: '\addinutil.exe'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: high

Original YAML and metadata in JSON

False positives

• Unknown

Source references

• https://www.blue-prints.blog/content/blog/posts/lolbin/addinutil-lolbas.html