Palo Alto - potential beaconing detected | Microsoft Sentinel Analytic Rules

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Id	f0be259a-34ac-4946-aa15-ca2b115d5feb
Rulename	Palo Alto - potential beaconing detected
Description	Identifies beaconing patterns from Palo Alto Network traffic logs based on recurrent timedelta patterns. The query leverages various KQL functions to calculate time deltas and then compares it with total events observed in a day to find percentage of beaconing. This outbound beaconing pattern to untrusted public networks should be investigated for any malware callbacks or data exfiltration attempts. Reference Blog: https://medium.com/@HuntOperator/detect-beaconing-with-flare-elastic-stack-and-intrusion-detection-systems-110dc74e0c56 https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-sentinel-blog/detect-network-beaconing-via-intra-request-time-delta-patterns/ba-p/779586
Severity	Low
Tactics	CommandAndControl
Techniques	T1071 T1571
Required data connectors	CefAma
Kind	Scheduled
Query frequency	1d
Query period	2d
Trigger threshold	0
Trigger operator	gt
Source Uri	https://github.com/Azure/Azure-Sentinel/blob/master/Solutions/PaloAlto-PAN-OS/Analytic%20Rules/PaloAlto-NetworkBeaconing.yaml
Version	1.0.7
Arm template	f0be259a-34ac-4946-aa15-ca2b115d5feb.json

KQL

let starttime = 2d;
let endtime = 1d;
let TimeDeltaThreshold = 25;
let TotalEventsThreshold = 30;
let MostFrequentTimeDeltaThreshold = 25;
let PercentBeaconThreshold = 80;
CommonSecurityLog
| where DeviceVendor == "Palo Alto Networks" and Activity == "TRAFFIC"
| where TimeGenerated between (startofday(ago(starttime))..startofday(ago(endtime)))
| where ipv4_is_private(DestinationIP)== false
| project TimeGenerated, DeviceName, SourceUserID, SourceIP, SourcePort, DestinationIP, DestinationPort, ReceivedBytes, SentBytes
| sort by SourceIP asc,TimeGenerated asc, DestinationIP asc, DestinationPort asc
| serialize
| extend nextTimeGenerated = next(TimeGenerated, 1), nextSourceIP = next(SourceIP, 1)
| extend TimeDeltainSeconds = datetime_diff('second',nextTimeGenerated,TimeGenerated)
| where SourceIP == nextSourceIP
//Whitelisting criteria/ threshold criteria
| where TimeDeltainSeconds > TimeDeltaThreshold
| summarize count(), sum(ReceivedBytes), sum(SentBytes)
by TimeDeltainSeconds, bin(TimeGenerated, 1h), DeviceName, SourceUserID, SourceIP, DestinationIP, DestinationPort
| summarize (MostFrequentTimeDeltaCount, MostFrequentTimeDeltainSeconds) = arg_max(count_, TimeDeltainSeconds), TotalEvents=sum(count_), TotalSentBytes = sum(sum_SentBytes), TotalReceivedBytes = sum(sum_ReceivedBytes)
by bin(TimeGenerated, 1h), DeviceName, SourceUserID, SourceIP, DestinationIP, DestinationPort
| where TotalEvents > TotalEventsThreshold and MostFrequentTimeDeltaCount > MostFrequentTimeDeltaThreshold
| extend BeaconPercent = MostFrequentTimeDeltaCount/toreal(TotalEvents) * 100
| where BeaconPercent > PercentBeaconThreshold

YAML

name: Palo Alto - potential beaconing detected
triggerOperator: gt
query: |
  let starttime = 2d;
  let endtime = 1d;
  let TimeDeltaThreshold = 25;
  let TotalEventsThreshold = 30;
  let MostFrequentTimeDeltaThreshold = 25;
  let PercentBeaconThreshold = 80;
  CommonSecurityLog
  | where DeviceVendor == "Palo Alto Networks" and Activity == "TRAFFIC"
  | where TimeGenerated between (startofday(ago(starttime))..startofday(ago(endtime)))
  | where ipv4_is_private(DestinationIP)== false
  | project TimeGenerated, DeviceName, SourceUserID, SourceIP, SourcePort, DestinationIP, DestinationPort, ReceivedBytes, SentBytes
  | sort by SourceIP asc,TimeGenerated asc, DestinationIP asc, DestinationPort asc
  | serialize
  | extend nextTimeGenerated = next(TimeGenerated, 1), nextSourceIP = next(SourceIP, 1)
  | extend TimeDeltainSeconds = datetime_diff('second',nextTimeGenerated,TimeGenerated)
  | where SourceIP == nextSourceIP
  //Whitelisting criteria/ threshold criteria
  | where TimeDeltainSeconds > TimeDeltaThreshold
  | summarize count(), sum(ReceivedBytes), sum(SentBytes)
  by TimeDeltainSeconds, bin(TimeGenerated, 1h), DeviceName, SourceUserID, SourceIP, DestinationIP, DestinationPort
  | summarize (MostFrequentTimeDeltaCount, MostFrequentTimeDeltainSeconds) = arg_max(count_, TimeDeltainSeconds), TotalEvents=sum(count_), TotalSentBytes = sum(sum_SentBytes), TotalReceivedBytes = sum(sum_ReceivedBytes)
  by bin(TimeGenerated, 1h), DeviceName, SourceUserID, SourceIP, DestinationIP, DestinationPort
  | where TotalEvents > TotalEventsThreshold and MostFrequentTimeDeltaCount > MostFrequentTimeDeltaThreshold
  | extend BeaconPercent = MostFrequentTimeDeltaCount/toreal(TotalEvents) * 100
  | where BeaconPercent > PercentBeaconThreshold
queryFrequency: 1d
description: |
  'Identifies beaconing patterns from Palo Alto Network traffic logs based on recurrent timedelta patterns.
  The query leverages various KQL functions to calculate time deltas and then compares it with total events observed in a day to find percentage of beaconing.
  This outbound beaconing pattern to untrusted public networks should be investigated for any malware callbacks or data exfiltration attempts.
  Reference Blog:
  https://medium.com/@HuntOperator/detect-beaconing-with-flare-elastic-stack-and-intrusion-detection-systems-110dc74e0c56
  https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-sentinel-blog/detect-network-beaconing-via-intra-request-time-delta-patterns/ba-p/779586'
id: f0be259a-34ac-4946-aa15-ca2b115d5feb
triggerThreshold: 0
queryPeriod: 2d
version: 1.0.7
kind: Scheduled
status: Available
severity: Low
requiredDataConnectors:
- connectorId: CefAma
  dataTypes:
  - CommonSecurityLog
OriginalUri: https://github.com/Azure/Azure-Sentinel/blob/master/Solutions/PaloAlto-PAN-OS/Analytic%20Rules/PaloAlto-NetworkBeaconing.yaml
relevantTechniques:
- T1071
- T1571
tactics:
- CommandAndControl
entityMappings:
- fieldMappings:
  - identifier: FullName
    columnName: SourceUserID
  entityType: Account
- fieldMappings:
  - identifier: FullName
    columnName: DeviceName
  entityType: Host
- fieldMappings:
  - identifier: Address
    columnName: DestinationIP
  entityType: IP

ARM

{
  "$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2019-04-01/deploymentTemplate.json#",
  "contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
  "parameters": {
    "workspace": {
      "type": "String"
    }
  },
  "resources": [
    {
      "apiVersion": "2024-01-01-preview",
      "id": "[concat(resourceId('Microsoft.OperationalInsights/workspaces/providers', parameters('workspace'), 'Microsoft.SecurityInsights'),'/alertRules/f0be259a-34ac-4946-aa15-ca2b115d5feb')]",
      "kind": "Scheduled",
      "name": "[concat(parameters('workspace'),'/Microsoft.SecurityInsights/f0be259a-34ac-4946-aa15-ca2b115d5feb')]",
      "properties": {
        "alertRuleTemplateName": "f0be259a-34ac-4946-aa15-ca2b115d5feb",
        "customDetails": null,
        "description": "'Identifies beaconing patterns from Palo Alto Network traffic logs based on recurrent timedelta patterns.\nThe query leverages various KQL functions to calculate time deltas and then compares it with total events observed in a day to find percentage of beaconing.\nThis outbound beaconing pattern to untrusted public networks should be investigated for any malware callbacks or data exfiltration attempts.\nReference Blog:\nhttps://medium.com/@HuntOperator/detect-beaconing-with-flare-elastic-stack-and-intrusion-detection-systems-110dc74e0c56\nhttps://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-sentinel-blog/detect-network-beaconing-via-intra-request-time-delta-patterns/ba-p/779586'\n",
        "displayName": "Palo Alto - potential beaconing detected",
        "enabled": true,
        "entityMappings": [
          {
            "entityType": "Account",
            "fieldMappings": [
              {
                "columnName": "SourceUserID",
                "identifier": "FullName"
              }
            ]
          },
          {
            "entityType": "Host",
            "fieldMappings": [
              {
                "columnName": "DeviceName",
                "identifier": "FullName"
              }
            ]
          },
          {
            "entityType": "IP",
            "fieldMappings": [
              {
                "columnName": "DestinationIP",
                "identifier": "Address"
              }
            ]
          }
        ],
        "OriginalUri": "https://github.com/Azure/Azure-Sentinel/blob/master/Solutions/PaloAlto-PAN-OS/Analytic%20Rules/PaloAlto-NetworkBeaconing.yaml",
        "query": "let starttime = 2d;\nlet endtime = 1d;\nlet TimeDeltaThreshold = 25;\nlet TotalEventsThreshold = 30;\nlet MostFrequentTimeDeltaThreshold = 25;\nlet PercentBeaconThreshold = 80;\nCommonSecurityLog\n| where DeviceVendor == \"Palo Alto Networks\" and Activity == \"TRAFFIC\"\n| where TimeGenerated between (startofday(ago(starttime))..startofday(ago(endtime)))\n| where ipv4_is_private(DestinationIP)== false\n| project TimeGenerated, DeviceName, SourceUserID, SourceIP, SourcePort, DestinationIP, DestinationPort, ReceivedBytes, SentBytes\n| sort by SourceIP asc,TimeGenerated asc, DestinationIP asc, DestinationPort asc\n| serialize\n| extend nextTimeGenerated = next(TimeGenerated, 1), nextSourceIP = next(SourceIP, 1)\n| extend TimeDeltainSeconds = datetime_diff('second',nextTimeGenerated,TimeGenerated)\n| where SourceIP == nextSourceIP\n//Whitelisting criteria/ threshold criteria\n| where TimeDeltainSeconds > TimeDeltaThreshold\n| summarize count(), sum(ReceivedBytes), sum(SentBytes)\nby TimeDeltainSeconds, bin(TimeGenerated, 1h), DeviceName, SourceUserID, SourceIP, DestinationIP, DestinationPort\n| summarize (MostFrequentTimeDeltaCount, MostFrequentTimeDeltainSeconds) = arg_max(count_, TimeDeltainSeconds), TotalEvents=sum(count_), TotalSentBytes = sum(sum_SentBytes), TotalReceivedBytes = sum(sum_ReceivedBytes)\nby bin(TimeGenerated, 1h), DeviceName, SourceUserID, SourceIP, DestinationIP, DestinationPort\n| where TotalEvents > TotalEventsThreshold and MostFrequentTimeDeltaCount > MostFrequentTimeDeltaThreshold\n| extend BeaconPercent = MostFrequentTimeDeltaCount/toreal(TotalEvents) * 100\n| where BeaconPercent > PercentBeaconThreshold\n",
        "queryFrequency": "P1D",
        "queryPeriod": "P2D",
        "severity": "Low",
        "status": "Available",
        "subTechniques": [],
        "suppressionDuration": "PT1H",
        "suppressionEnabled": false,
        "tactics": [
          "CommandAndControl"
        ],
        "techniques": [
          "T1071",
          "T1571"
        ],
        "templateVersion": "1.0.7",
        "triggerOperator": "GreaterThan",
        "triggerThreshold": 0
      },
      "type": "Microsoft.OperationalInsights/workspaces/providers/alertRules"
    }
  ]
}