Network Connection Initiated From Process Located In Potentially Suspicious Or Uncommon Location

title: Network Connection Initiated From Process Located In Potentially Suspicious Or Uncommon Location
id: 7b434893-c57d-4f41-908d-6a17bf1ae98f
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status: test
description: |
    Detects a network connection initiated by programs or processes running from suspicious or uncommon files system locations.
references:
    - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/17pSTDNpa0sf6pHeRhusvWG6rThciE8CsXTSlDUAZDyo
author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems)
date: 2017-03-19
modified: 2026-03-29
tags:
    - attack.command-and-control
    - attack.t1105
logsource:
    category: network_connection
    product: windows
detection:
    selection:
        Initiated: 'true'
        Image|contains:
            - ':\$Recycle.bin'
            - ':\Perflogs\'
            - ':\Temp\'
            - ':\Users\Default\'
            - ':\Users\Public\'
            - ':\Windows\Fonts\'
            - ':\Windows\IME\'
            - ':\Windows\System32\Tasks\'
            - ':\Windows\Tasks\'
            - '\config\systemprofile\'
            - '\Contacts\'
            - '\Favorites\'
            - '\Favourites\'
            - '\Music\'
            - '\Pictures\'
            - '\Videos\'
            - '\Windows\addins\'
    filter_main_domains:
        # Note: We exclude these domains to avoid duplicate filtering from e0f8ab85-0ac9-423b-a73a-81b3c7b1aa97
        DestinationHostname|endswith:
            - '.githubusercontent.com'       # Includes both gists and github repositories / Michael Haag (idea)
            - '0x0.st'
            - 'anonfiles.com'
            - 'bashupload.com'
            - 'cdn.discordapp.com'
            - 'chunk.io'
            - 'ddns.net'
            - 'dl.dropboxusercontent.com'
            - 'ghostbin.co'
            - 'github.com'
            - 'glitch.me'
            - 'gofile.io'
            - 'hastebin.com'
            - 'mediafire.com'
            - 'mega.co.nz'
            - 'mega.nz'
            - 'onrender.com'
            - 'pages.dev'
            - 'paste.ee'
            - 'pastebin.com'
            - 'pastebin.pl'
            - 'pastetext.net'
            - 'portmap.io'  # https://pro.twitter.com/JaromirHorejsi/status/1795001037746761892/photo/2
            - 'privatlab.com'
            - 'privatlab.net'
            - 'send.exploit.in'
            - 'sendspace.com'
            - 'storage.googleapis.com'
            - 'storjshare.io'
            - 'supabase.co'
            - 'temp.sh'
            - 'transfer.sh'
            - 'trycloudflare.com'
            - 'ufile.io'
            - 'w3spaces.com'
            - 'workers.dev'
            - 'x0.at'
    condition: selection and not 1 of filter_main_*
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: high