sigmahighHunting

Suspicious GUP Usage

Detects execution of the Notepad++ updater in a suspicious directory, which is often used in DLL side-loading attacks

MITRE ATT&CK

privilege-escalationpersistencedefense-evasion

Detection Query

selection:
  Image|endswith: \GUP.exe
filter_programfiles:
  Image|endswith:
    - \Program Files\Notepad++\updater\GUP.exe
    - \Program Files (x86)\Notepad++\updater\GUP.exe
filter_user:
  Image|contains: \Users\
  Image|endswith:
    - \AppData\Local\Notepad++\updater\GUP.exe
    - \AppData\Roaming\Notepad++\updater\GUP.exe
condition: selection and not 1 of filter_*

Author

Florian Roth (Nextron Systems)

Created

2019-02-06

Data Sources

windowsProcess Creation Events

Platforms

windows

References

https://www.fireeye.com/blog/threat-research/2018/09/apt10-targeting-japanese-corporations-using-updated-ttps.html

Tags

attack.privilege-escalationattack.persistenceattack.defense-evasionattack.t1574.001

Raw Content

title: Suspicious GUP Usage
id: 0a4f6091-223b-41f6-8743-f322ec84930b
status: test
description: Detects execution of the Notepad++ updater in a suspicious directory, which is often used in DLL side-loading attacks
references:
    - https://www.fireeye.com/blog/threat-research/2018/09/apt10-targeting-japanese-corporations-using-updated-ttps.html
author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems)
date: 2019-02-06
modified: 2022-08-13
tags:
    - attack.privilege-escalation
    - attack.persistence
    - attack.defense-evasion
    - attack.t1574.001
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection:
        Image|endswith: '\GUP.exe'
    filter_programfiles:
        Image|endswith:
            - '\Program Files\Notepad++\updater\GUP.exe'
            - '\Program Files (x86)\Notepad++\updater\GUP.exe'
    filter_user:
        Image|contains: '\Users\'
        Image|endswith:
            - '\AppData\Local\Notepad++\updater\GUP.exe'
            - '\AppData\Roaming\Notepad++\updater\GUP.exe'
    condition: selection and not 1 of filter_*
falsepositives:
    - Execution of tools named GUP.exe and located in folders different than Notepad++\updater
level: high