Ping Hex IP

Hunt Hypothesis

Detects a ping command that uses a hex encoded IP address

Detection Rule

Sigma (Original)

title: Ping Hex IP
id: 1a0d4aba-7668-4365-9ce4-6d79ab088dfd
status: test
description: Detects a ping command that uses a hex encoded IP address
references:
    - https://github.com/vysecurity/Aggressor-VYSEC/blob/0d61c80387b9432dab64b8b8a9fb52d20cfef80e/ping.cna
    - https://twitter.com/vysecurity/status/977198418354491392
author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems)
date: 2018-03-23
modified: 2025-10-17
tags:
    - attack.stealth
    - attack.t1140
    - attack.t1027
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection:
        Image|endswith: '\ping.exe'
        CommandLine|re: '0x[a-fA-F0-9]{8}'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Unlikely, because no sane admin pings IP addresses in a hexadecimal form
level: high

KQL (Azure Sentinel)

imProcessCreate
| where TargetProcessName endswith "\\ping.exe" and TargetProcessCommandLine matches regex "0x[a-fA-F0-9]{8}"

Required Data Sources

False Positive Guidance

• Unlikely, because no sane admin pings IP addresses in a hexadecimal form

MITRE ATT&CK Context

• Technique: T1140 — T1140
• Technique: T1027 — T1027

References

• https://github.com/vysecurity/Aggressor-VYSEC/blob/0d61c80387b9432dab64b8b8a9fb52d20cfef80e/ping.cna
• https://twitter.com/vysecurity/status/977198418354491392
• SigmaHQ Rule