sigmahighHunting

Network Connection Initiated By AddinUtil.EXE

Detects a network connection initiated by the Add-In deployment cache updating utility "AddInutil.exe". This could indicate a potential command and control communication as this tool doesn't usually initiate network activity.

MITRE ATT&CK

T1218

defense-evasion

Detection Query

selection:
  Initiated: "true"
  Image|endswith: \addinutil.exe
condition: selection

Author

Michael McKinley (@McKinleyMike), Tony Latteri (@TheLatteri)

Created

2023-09-18

Data Sources

windowsNetwork Connection Events

Platforms

windows

References

https://www.blue-prints.blog/content/blog/posts/lolbin/addinutil-lolbas.html

Tags

attack.defense-evasionattack.t1218

Raw Content

title: Network Connection Initiated By AddinUtil.EXE
id: 5205613d-2a63-4412-a895-3a2458b587b3
status: test
description: |
    Detects a network connection initiated by the Add-In deployment cache updating utility "AddInutil.exe".
    This could indicate a potential command and control communication as this tool doesn't usually initiate network activity.
references:
    - https://www.blue-prints.blog/content/blog/posts/lolbin/addinutil-lolbas.html
author: Michael McKinley (@McKinleyMike), Tony Latteri (@TheLatteri)
date: 2023-09-18
modified: 2024-07-16
tags:
    - attack.defense-evasion
    - attack.t1218
logsource:
    category: network_connection
    product: windows
detection:
    selection:
        Initiated: 'true'
        Image|endswith: '\addinutil.exe'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: high