Remote-Image-Load — CraftedSignal Threat Feedhttps://feed.craftedsignal.io/tags/remote-image-load/Trending threats, MITRE ATT&CK coverage, and detection metadata — refreshed continuously.Hugoenhello@craftedsignal.iohello@craftedsignal.ioMon, 08 Jan 2024 12:00:00 +0000Detecting Windows Remote Image Loading for Malicious Activitieshttps://feed.craftedsignal.io/briefs/2024-01-08-remote-image-load/Mon, 08 Jan 2024 12:00:00 +0000hello@craftedsignal.iohttps://feed.craftedsignal.io/briefs/2024-01-08-remote-image-load/This analytic detects instances where a process loads a file from a remote share path, potentially indicating execution, defense evasion, or lateral movement by attackers loading code from attacker-controlled infrastructure.This detection focuses on identifying instances of remote image loading in Windows environments, a technique frequently employed by threat actors to execute malicious code, evade security measures, or move laterally within a network. By loading DLLs or other executable images from remote shares, attackers can bypass traditional endpoint security controls and maintain a persistent presence on compromised systems. This technique is particularly dangerous because the malicious payload remains hosted on a separate system, making detection and remediation more challenging. This activity is detected via Sysmon Event ID 7 logs.

Attack Chain

  1. An attacker gains initial access to a system through various means, such as phishing or exploiting a vulnerability.
  2. The attacker identifies a process to inject code into, often a legitimate and trusted application.
  3. The attacker stages a malicious DLL or executable image on a remote share accessible from the compromised system.
  4. The attacker manipulates the target process to load the malicious image from the remote share using techniques like process injection or DLL hijacking.
  5. The compromised process executes the injected code, granting the attacker control within the context of that process.
  6. The attacker leverages the injected code to perform various malicious activities, such as escalating privileges, stealing credentials, or deploying ransomware.
  7. The attacker uses the compromised system as a foothold to move laterally to other systems within the network, repeating the process of remote image loading and code injection.

Impact

A successful remote image loading attack can lead to complete compromise of the affected system and potentially the entire network. Attackers can steal sensitive data, disrupt business operations, and deploy ransomware, causing significant financial and reputational damage. The impact is amplified by the difficulty in detecting and tracing the source of the attack due to the remote hosting of the malicious payload. Organizations using vulnerable or unpatched systems are at a higher risk.

Recommendation

  • Deploy the Sigma rule Remote Image Load from Uncommon Location to detect remote image loads from non-standard network paths (logsource: process_creation).
  • Investigate any instances of remote image loading detected by the provided Sigma rules, focusing on the process and the source of the loaded image.
  • Implement network segmentation to limit the exposure of sensitive systems to potential attack vectors and to restrict lateral movement.
  • Enable Sysmon Event ID 7 logging to capture image load events, providing the necessary data for the provided detection rules.
  • Review and filter the detections based on approved applications and known legitimate software updates as described in the false positives section.
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