sigmahighHunting

Renamed Office Binary Execution

Detects the execution of a renamed office binary

MITRE ATT&CK

defense-evasion

Detection Query

selection:
  - OriginalFileName:
      - Excel.exe
      - MSACCESS.EXE
      - MSPUB.EXE
      - OneNote.exe
      - OneNoteM.exe
      - OUTLOOK.EXE
      - POWERPNT.EXE
      - WinWord.exe
      - Olk.exe
  - Description:
      - Microsoft Access
      - Microsoft Excel
      - Microsoft OneNote
      - Microsoft Outlook
      - Microsoft PowerPoint
      - Microsoft Publisher
      - Microsoft Word
      - Sent to OneNote Tool
filter_main_legit_names:
  Image|endswith:
    - \EXCEL.exe
    - \excelcnv.exe
    - \MSACCESS.exe
    - \MSPUB.EXE
    - \ONENOTE.EXE
    - \ONENOTEM.EXE
    - \OUTLOOK.EXE
    - \POWERPNT.EXE
    - \WINWORD.exe
    - \OLK.EXE
condition: selection and not 1 of filter_main_*

Author

Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems)

Created

2022-12-20

Data Sources

windowsProcess Creation Events

Platforms

windows

References

https://infosec.exchange/@sbousseaden/109542254124022664

Tags

attack.defense-evasionattack.t1036.003

Raw Content

title: Renamed Office Binary Execution
id: 0b0cd537-fc77-4e6e-a973-e53495c1083d
status: test
description: Detects the execution of a renamed office binary
references:
    - https://infosec.exchange/@sbousseaden/109542254124022664
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems)
date: 2022-12-20
modified: 2025-12-09
tags:
    - attack.defense-evasion
    - attack.t1036.003
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection:
        - OriginalFileName:
              - 'Excel.exe'
              - 'MSACCESS.EXE'
              - 'MSPUB.EXE'
              - 'OneNote.exe'
              - 'OneNoteM.exe'
              - 'OUTLOOK.EXE'
              - 'POWERPNT.EXE'
              - 'WinWord.exe'
              - 'Olk.exe'
        - Description:
              - 'Microsoft Access'
              - 'Microsoft Excel'
              - 'Microsoft OneNote'
              - 'Microsoft Outlook'
              - 'Microsoft PowerPoint'
              - 'Microsoft Publisher'
              - 'Microsoft Word'
              - 'Sent to OneNote Tool'
    filter_main_legit_names:
        Image|endswith:
            - '\EXCEL.exe'
            - '\excelcnv.exe'
            - '\MSACCESS.exe'
            - '\MSPUB.EXE'
            - '\ONENOTE.EXE'
            - '\ONENOTEM.EXE'
            - '\OUTLOOK.EXE'
            - '\POWERPNT.EXE'
            - '\WINWORD.exe'
            - '\OLK.EXE'
    condition: selection and not 1 of filter_main_*
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: high