Hunting 3CXDesktopApp Software

name: Hunting 3CXDesktopApp Software
id: 553d0429-1a1c-44bf-b3f5-a8513deb9ee5
version: 8
date: '2026-02-25'
author: Michael Haag, Splunk
type: Hunting
status: production
data_source:
    - Sysmon EventID 1
    - Windows Event Log Security 4688
    - CrowdStrike ProcessRollup2
description: The following analytic detects the presence of any version of the 3CXDesktopApp, also known as the 3CX Desktop App, on Mac or Windows systems. It leverages the Endpoint data model's Processes node to identify instances of the application running, although it does not provide file version information. This activity is significant because 3CX has identified vulnerabilities in versions 18.12.407 and 18.12.416, which could be exploited by attackers. If confirmed malicious, this could lead to unauthorized access, data exfiltration, or further compromise of the affected systems.
search: |-
    | tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime FROM datamodel=Endpoint.Processes
      WHERE Processes.process_name=3CXDesktopApp.exe
        OR
        Processes.process_name="3CX Desktop App"
      BY Processes.action Processes.dest Processes.original_file_name
         Processes.parent_process Processes.parent_process_exec Processes.parent_process_guid
         Processes.parent_process_id Processes.parent_process_name Processes.parent_process_path
         Processes.process Processes.process_exec Processes.process_guid
         Processes.process_hash Processes.process_id Processes.process_integrity_level
         Processes.process_name Processes.process_path Processes.user
         Processes.user_id Processes.vendor_product
    | `drop_dm_object_name(Processes)`
    | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)`
    | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`
    | `hunting_3cxdesktopapp_software_filter`
how_to_implement: The detection is based on data that originates from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agents. These agents are designed to provide security-related telemetry from the endpoints where the agent is installed. To implement this search, you must ingest logs that contain the process GUID, process name, and parent process. Additionally, you must ingest complete command-line executions. These logs must be processed using the appropriate Splunk Technology Add-ons that are specific to the EDR product. The logs must also be mapped to the `Processes` node of the `Endpoint` data model. Use the Splunk Common Information Model (CIM) to normalize the field names and speed up the data modeling process.
known_false_positives: There may be false positives generated due to the reliance on version numbers for identification purposes. Despite this limitation, the primary goal of this approach is to aid in the detection of the software within the environment.
references:
    - https://www.sentinelone.com/blog/smoothoperator-ongoing-campaign-trojanizes-3cx-software-in-software-supply-chain-attack/
    - https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/alerts/2023/03/30/supply-chain-attack-against-3cxdesktopapp
    - https://www.reddit.com/r/crowdstrike/comments/125r3uu/20230329_situational_awareness_crowdstrike/
    - https://www.3cx.com/community/threads/crowdstrike-endpoint-security-detection-re-3cx-desktop-app.119934/page-2#post-558898
    - https://www.3cx.com/community/threads/3cx-desktopapp-security-alert.119951/
tags:
    analytic_story:
        - 3CX Supply Chain Attack
    asset_type: Endpoint
    cve:
        - CVE-2023-29059
    mitre_attack_id:
        - T1195.002
    product:
        - Splunk Enterprise
        - Splunk Enterprise Security
        - Splunk Cloud
    security_domain: endpoint
tests:
    - name: True Positive Test
      attack_data:
        - data: https://media.githubusercontent.com/media/splunk/attack_data/master/datasets/attack_techniques/T1195.002/3CX/3cx_windows-sysmon.log
          source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational
          sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog