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sublimehighRule

Callback phishing via extensionless rfc822 attachment

This rule detects messages with an unknown file_type (extensionless) and a content_type of 'message/rfc822' containing an image file with Callback Phishing indicators.

MITRE ATT&CK

initial-access

Detection Query

type.inbound
and any(attachments,
        .file_type == "unknown"
        and (.content_type == "message/rfc822" or .file_extension in ('eml'))
        and any(file.explode(.),
                strings.starts_with(.flavors.mime, "image")

                // and Image contains callback phishing indicators
                and 4 of (
                  strings.icontains(.scan.ocr.raw, "purchase"),
                  strings.icontains(.scan.ocr.raw, "subscription"),
                  strings.icontains(.scan.ocr.raw, "antivirus"),
                  strings.icontains(.scan.ocr.raw, "order"),
                  strings.icontains(.scan.ocr.raw, "support"),
                  strings.icontains(.scan.ocr.raw, "receipt"),
                  strings.icontains(.scan.ocr.raw, "amount"),
                  strings.icontains(.scan.ocr.raw, "charged"),
                  strings.icontains(.scan.ocr.raw, "invoice"),
                  strings.icontains(.scan.ocr.raw, "call"),
                  strings.icontains(.scan.ocr.raw, "cancel"),
                  strings.icontains(.scan.ocr.raw, "renew"),
                  strings.icontains(.scan.ocr.raw, "refund"),
                  strings.icontains(.scan.ocr.raw, "+1")
                )
        )
        and any(file.explode(.),
                strings.ilike(.scan.ocr.raw,
                              "*geek*squad*",
                              "*lifelock*",
                              "*best buy*",
                              "*mcafee*",
                              "*norton*",
                              "*ebay*",
                              "*paypal*",
                              "*secure anywhere*"
                )
                or any(ml.nlu_classifier(.scan.ocr.raw).intents,
                       .name in ("callback_scam")
                       and .confidence == "high"
                       and length(body.current_thread.text) < 1500
                )
        )
)
and (
  not profile.by_sender().solicited
  and not profile.by_sender().any_messages_benign
)

// negate highly trusted sender domains unless they fail DMARC authentication
and (
  (
    sender.email.domain.root_domain in $high_trust_sender_root_domains
    and not headers.auth_summary.dmarc.pass
  )
  or sender.email.domain.root_domain not in $high_trust_sender_root_domains
)

Data Sources

Email MessagesEmail HeadersEmail Attachments

Platforms

email
Raw Content
name: "Callback phishing via extensionless rfc822 attachment"
description: "This rule detects messages with an unknown file_type (extensionless) and a content_type of 'message/rfc822' containing an image file with Callback Phishing indicators."
type: "rule"
severity: "high"
source: |
  type.inbound
  and any(attachments,
          .file_type == "unknown"
          and (.content_type == "message/rfc822" or .file_extension in ('eml'))
          and any(file.explode(.),
                  strings.starts_with(.flavors.mime, "image")
  
                  // and Image contains callback phishing indicators
                  and 4 of (
                    strings.icontains(.scan.ocr.raw, "purchase"),
                    strings.icontains(.scan.ocr.raw, "subscription"),
                    strings.icontains(.scan.ocr.raw, "antivirus"),
                    strings.icontains(.scan.ocr.raw, "order"),
                    strings.icontains(.scan.ocr.raw, "support"),
                    strings.icontains(.scan.ocr.raw, "receipt"),
                    strings.icontains(.scan.ocr.raw, "amount"),
                    strings.icontains(.scan.ocr.raw, "charged"),
                    strings.icontains(.scan.ocr.raw, "invoice"),
                    strings.icontains(.scan.ocr.raw, "call"),
                    strings.icontains(.scan.ocr.raw, "cancel"),
                    strings.icontains(.scan.ocr.raw, "renew"),
                    strings.icontains(.scan.ocr.raw, "refund"),
                    strings.icontains(.scan.ocr.raw, "+1")
                  )
          )
          and any(file.explode(.),
                  strings.ilike(.scan.ocr.raw,
                                "*geek*squad*",
                                "*lifelock*",
                                "*best buy*",
                                "*mcafee*",
                                "*norton*",
                                "*ebay*",
                                "*paypal*",
                                "*secure anywhere*"
                  )
                  or any(ml.nlu_classifier(.scan.ocr.raw).intents,
                         .name in ("callback_scam")
                         and .confidence == "high"
                         and length(body.current_thread.text) < 1500
                  )
          )
  )
  and (
    not profile.by_sender().solicited
    and not profile.by_sender().any_messages_benign
  )
  
  // negate highly trusted sender domains unless they fail DMARC authentication
  and (
    (
      sender.email.domain.root_domain in $high_trust_sender_root_domains
      and not headers.auth_summary.dmarc.pass
    )
    or sender.email.domain.root_domain not in $high_trust_sender_root_domains
  )
attack_types:
  - "Callback Phishing"
tactics_and_techniques:
  - "Impersonation: Brand"
  - "Social engineering"
detection_methods:
  - "File analysis"
  - "Natural Language Understanding"
  - "Optical Character Recognition"
  - "Sender analysis"

id: "197722c4-a22a-5c36-85d0-085f4b11c44e"