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Modification of Accessibility Features

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Idd714ef62-1a56-4779-804f-91c4158e528d
RulenameModification of Accessibility Features
DescriptionAdversaries may establish persistence and/or elevate privileges by executing malicious content triggered by accessibility features. Windows contains accessibility features that may be launched with a key combination before a user has logged in (ex: when the user is on the Windows logon screen). An adversary can modify the way these programs are launched to get a command prompt or backdoor without logging in to the system.

Two common accessibility programs are C:\Windows\System32\sethc.exe, launched when the shift key is pressed five times and C:\Windows\System32\utilman.exe, launched when the Windows + U key combination is pressed. The sethc.exe program is often referred to as “sticky keys”, and has been used by adversaries for unauthenticated access through a remote desktop login screen. [1]

Ref: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1546/008/
SeverityMedium
TacticsPersistence
TechniquesT1546.008
Required data connectorsSecurityEvents
KindScheduled
Query frequency1h
Query period1h
Trigger threshold0
Trigger operatorgt
Source Urihttps://github.com/Azure/Azure-Sentinel/blob/master/Detections/SecurityEvent/AccessibilityFeaturesModification.yaml
Version1.0.4
Arm templated714ef62-1a56-4779-804f-91c4158e528d.json
Deploy To Azure
let ImagesList = dynamic (["sethc.exe","utilman.exe","osk.exe","Magnify.exe","Narrator.exe","DisplaySwitch.exe","AtBroker.exe"]); 
let OriginalFileNameList = dynamic (["sethc.exe","utilman.exe","osk.exe","Magnify.exe","Narrator.exe","DisplaySwitch.exe","AtBroker.exe","SR.exe","utilman2.exe","ScreenMagnifier.exe"]); 
Event
| where EventLog == "Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational" and EventID==1
| parse EventData with * 'ProcessId">' ProcessId "<" * 'Image">' Image "<" * 'OriginalFileName">' OriginalFileName "<" *
| where Image has_any (ImagesList) and not (OriginalFileName has_any (OriginalFileNameList))
| parse EventData with * 'ProcessGuid">' ProcessGuid "<" * 'Description">' Description "<" * 'CommandLine">' CommandLine "<" * 'CurrentDirectory">' CurrentDirectory "<" * 'User">' User "<" * 'LogonGuid">' LogonGuid "<" * 'Hashes">' Hashes "<" * 'ParentProcessGuid">' ParentProcessGuid "<" * 'ParentImage">' ParentImage "<" * 'ParentCommandLine">' ParentCommandLine "<" * 'ParentUser">' ParentUser "<" *
| summarize StartTime = min(TimeGenerated), EndTime = max(TimeGenerated) by EventID, Computer, User, ParentImage, ParentProcessGuid, ParentCommandLine, ParentUser, Image, ProcessId, ProcessGuid, CommandLine, Description, OriginalFileName, CurrentDirectory, Hashes
| extend HostName = tostring(split(Computer, ".")[0]), DomainIndex = toint(indexof(Computer, '.'))
| extend HostNameDomain = iff(DomainIndex != -1, substring(Computer, DomainIndex + 1), Computer)
| extend AccountName = tostring(split(User, "\\")[1]), AccountNTDomain = tostring(split(User, "\\")[0])
| extend ImageFileName = tostring(split(Image, "\\")[-1])
| extend ImageDirectory = replace_string(Image, ImageFileName, "")
| project-away DomainIndex
queryPeriod: 1h
query: |
  let ImagesList = dynamic (["sethc.exe","utilman.exe","osk.exe","Magnify.exe","Narrator.exe","DisplaySwitch.exe","AtBroker.exe"]); 
  let OriginalFileNameList = dynamic (["sethc.exe","utilman.exe","osk.exe","Magnify.exe","Narrator.exe","DisplaySwitch.exe","AtBroker.exe","SR.exe","utilman2.exe","ScreenMagnifier.exe"]); 
  Event
  | where EventLog == "Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational" and EventID==1
  | parse EventData with * 'ProcessId">' ProcessId "<" * 'Image">' Image "<" * 'OriginalFileName">' OriginalFileName "<" *
  | where Image has_any (ImagesList) and not (OriginalFileName has_any (OriginalFileNameList))
  | parse EventData with * 'ProcessGuid">' ProcessGuid "<" * 'Description">' Description "<" * 'CommandLine">' CommandLine "<" * 'CurrentDirectory">' CurrentDirectory "<" * 'User">' User "<" * 'LogonGuid">' LogonGuid "<" * 'Hashes">' Hashes "<" * 'ParentProcessGuid">' ParentProcessGuid "<" * 'ParentImage">' ParentImage "<" * 'ParentCommandLine">' ParentCommandLine "<" * 'ParentUser">' ParentUser "<" *
  | summarize StartTime = min(TimeGenerated), EndTime = max(TimeGenerated) by EventID, Computer, User, ParentImage, ParentProcessGuid, ParentCommandLine, ParentUser, Image, ProcessId, ProcessGuid, CommandLine, Description, OriginalFileName, CurrentDirectory, Hashes
  | extend HostName = tostring(split(Computer, ".")[0]), DomainIndex = toint(indexof(Computer, '.'))
  | extend HostNameDomain = iff(DomainIndex != -1, substring(Computer, DomainIndex + 1), Computer)
  | extend AccountName = tostring(split(User, "\\")[1]), AccountNTDomain = tostring(split(User, "\\")[0])
  | extend ImageFileName = tostring(split(Image, "\\")[-1])
  | extend ImageDirectory = replace_string(Image, ImageFileName, "")
  | project-away DomainIndex  
name: Modification of Accessibility Features
entityMappings:
- fieldMappings:
  - columnName: CommandLine
    identifier: CommandLine
  - columnName: ProcessId
    identifier: ProcessId
  entityType: Process
- fieldMappings:
  - columnName: Computer
    identifier: FullName
  - columnName: HostName
    identifier: HostName
  - columnName: HostNameDomain
    identifier: DnsDomain
  entityType: Host
- fieldMappings:
  - columnName: User
    identifier: FullName
  - columnName: AccountName
    identifier: Name
  - columnName: AccountNTDomain
    identifier: NTDomain
  entityType: Account
- fieldMappings:
  - columnName: ImageFileName
    identifier: Name
  - columnName: ImageDirectory
    identifier: Directory
  entityType: File
OriginalUri: https://github.com/Azure/Azure-Sentinel/blob/master/Detections/SecurityEvent/AccessibilityFeaturesModification.yaml
requiredDataConnectors:
- connectorId: SecurityEvents
  dataTypes:
  - SecurityEvent
description: |
  'Adversaries may establish persistence and/or elevate privileges by executing malicious content triggered by accessibility features. Windows contains accessibility features that may be launched with a key combination before a user has logged in (ex: when the user is on the Windows logon screen). An adversary can modify the way these programs are launched to get a command prompt or backdoor without logging in to the system.
  Two common accessibility programs are C:\Windows\System32\sethc.exe, launched when the shift key is pressed five times and C:\Windows\System32\utilman.exe, launched when the Windows + U key combination is pressed. The sethc.exe program is often referred to as "sticky keys", and has been used by adversaries for unauthenticated access through a remote desktop login screen. [1]
  Ref: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1546/008/'  
kind: Scheduled
version: 1.0.4
metadata:
  author:
    name: Vasileios Paschalidis
  categories:
    domains:
    - Security - Others
  support:
    tier: Community
  source:
    kind: Community
queryFrequency: 1h
severity: Medium
relevantTechniques:
- T1546.008
triggerOperator: gt
triggerThreshold: 0
tactics:
- Persistence
id: d714ef62-1a56-4779-804f-91c4158e528d