sigmamediumHunting

Malicious PE Execution by Microsoft Visual Studio Debugger

There is an option for a MS VS Just-In-Time Debugger "vsjitdebugger.exe" to launch specified executable and attach a debugger. This option may be used adversaries to execute malicious code by signed verified binary. The debugger is installed alongside with Microsoft Visual Studio package.

MITRE ATT&CK

T1218

defense-evasion

Detection Query

selection:
  ParentImage|endswith: \vsjitdebugger.exe
reduction1:
  Image|endswith: \vsimmersiveactivatehelper*.exe
reduction2:
  Image|endswith: \devenv.exe
condition: selection and not (reduction1 or reduction2)

Author

Agro (@agro_sev), Ensar Şamil (@sblmsrsn), oscd.community

Created

2020-10-14

Data Sources

windowsProcess Creation Events

Platforms

windows

References

Tags

attack.t1218attack.defense-evasion

Raw Content

title: Malicious PE Execution by Microsoft Visual Studio Debugger
id: 15c7904e-6ad1-4a45-9b46-5fb25df37fd2
status: test
description: |
  There is an option for a MS VS Just-In-Time Debugger "vsjitdebugger.exe" to launch specified executable and attach a debugger.
  This option may be used adversaries to execute malicious code by signed verified binary.
  The debugger is installed alongside with Microsoft Visual Studio package.
references:
    - https://twitter.com/pabraeken/status/990758590020452353
    - https://lolbas-project.github.io/lolbas/OtherMSBinaries/Vsjitdebugger/
    - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/debugger/debug-using-the-just-in-time-debugger?view=vs-2019
author: Agro (@agro_sev), Ensar Şamil (@sblmsrsn), oscd.community
date: 2020-10-14
modified: 2022-10-09
tags:
    - attack.t1218
    - attack.defense-evasion
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection:
        ParentImage|endswith: '\vsjitdebugger.exe'
    reduction1:
        Image|endswith: '\vsimmersiveactivatehelper*.exe'
    reduction2:
        Image|endswith: '\devenv.exe'
    condition: selection and not (reduction1 or reduction2)
falsepositives:
    - The process spawned by vsjitdebugger.exe is uncommon.
level: medium