Suspicious DNS Z Flag Bit Set — Sigma Rule

Rule metadata and linked tags

Author: @neu5ron, SOC Prime Team, Corelight. Source status: test; severity: medium. Source dates: 2021-05-04 / 2022-11-29.

{
  "product": "zeek",
  "service": "dns"
}

Pinned original Sigma rule · Detection Rule License 1.1

Source SHA-256: e7c8e24e7dced6c84b611f995276668052508a460556061ac04ef441c28d350c

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 DNS Z Flag Bit Set
id: ede05abc-2c9e-4624-9944-9ff17fdc0bf5
status: test
description: |
    The DNS Z flag is bit within the DNS protocol header that is, per the IETF design, meant to be used reserved (unused).
    Although recently it has been used in DNSSec, the value being set to anything other than 0 should be rare.
    Otherwise if it is set to non 0 and DNSSec is being used, then excluding the legitimate domains is low effort and high reward.
    Determine if multiple of these files were accessed in a short period of time to further enhance the possibility of seeing if this was a one off or the possibility of larger sensitive file gathering.
    This Sigma query is designed to accompany the Corelight Threat Hunting Guide, which can be found here: https://www3.corelight.com/corelights-introductory-guide-to-threat-hunting-with-zeek-bro-logs'
references:
    - https://twitter.com/neu5ron/status/1346245602502443009
    - https://tdm.socprime.com/tdm/info/eLbyj4JjI15v#sigma
    - https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc2929#section-2.1
    - https://www.netresec.com/?page=Blog&month=2021-01&post=Finding-Targeted-SUNBURST-Victims-with-pDNS
author: '@neu5ron, SOC Prime Team, Corelight'
date: 2021-05-04
modified: 2022-11-29
tags:
    - attack.t1095
    - attack.t1571
    - attack.command-and-control
logsource:
    product: zeek
    service: dns
detection:
    z_flag_unset:
        Z: 0
    most_probable_valid_domain:
        query|contains: '.'
    exclude_tlds:
        query|endswith:
            - '.arpa'
            - '.local'
            - '.ultradns.net'
            - '.twtrdns.net'
            - '.azuredns-prd.info'
            - '.azure-dns.com'
            - '.azuredns-ff.info'
            - '.azuredns-ff.org'
            - '.azuregov-dns.org'
    exclude_query_types:
        qtype_name:
            - 'ns'
            - 'mx'
    exclude_responses:
        answers|endswith: '\\x00'
    exclude_netbios:
        id.resp_p:
            - 137
            - 138
            - 139
    condition: not z_flag_unset and most_probable_valid_domain and not (exclude_tlds or exclude_query_types or exclude_responses or exclude_netbios)
falsepositives:
    - 'Internal or legitimate external domains using DNSSec. Verify if these are legitimate DNSSec domains and then exclude them.'
    - 'If you work in a Public Sector then it may be good to exclude things like endswith ".edu", ".gov" and or ".mil"'
level: medium

Original YAML and metadata in JSON

False positives

• Internal or legitimate external domains using DNSSec. Verify if these are legitimate DNSSec domains and then exclude them.
• If you work in a Public Sector then it may be good to exclude things like endswith ".edu", ".gov" and or ".mil"

Source references

• https://twitter.com/neu5ron/status/1346245602502443009
• https://tdm.socprime.com/tdm/info/eLbyj4JjI15v#sigma
• https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc2929#section-2.1
• https://www.netresec.com/?page=Blog&month=2021-01&post=Finding-Targeted-SUNBURST-Victims-with-pDNS