Uncommon Child Process Spawned By Odbcconf.EXE

Hunt Hypothesis

Detects an uncommon child process of “odbcconf.exe” binary which normally shouldn’t have any child processes.

Detection Rule

Sigma (Original)

title: Uncommon Child Process Spawned By Odbcconf.EXE
id: 8e3c7994-131e-4ba5-b6ea-804d49113a26
status: test
description: Detects an uncommon child process of "odbcconf.exe" binary which normally shouldn't have any child processes.
references:
    - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/odbc/odbcconf-exe?view=sql-server-ver16
    - https://lolbas-project.github.io/lolbas/Binaries/Odbcconf/
    - https://medium.com/@cyberjyot/t1218-008-dll-execution-using-odbcconf-exe-803fa9e08dac
author: Harjot Singh @cyb3rjy0t
date: 2023-05-22
tags:
    - attack.stealth
    - attack.t1218.008
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection:
        ParentImage|endswith: '\odbcconf.exe'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - In rare occurrences where "odbcconf" crashes. It might spawn a "werfault" process
    - Other child processes will depend on the DLL being registered by actions like "regsvr". In case where the DLLs have external calls (which should be rare). Other child processes might spawn and additional filters need to be applied.
level: medium

KQL (Azure Sentinel)

imProcessCreate
| where ParentProcessName endswith "\\odbcconf.exe" or ActingProcessName endswith "\\odbcconf.exe"

Required Data Sources

False Positive Guidance

• In rare occurrences where “odbcconf” crashes. It might spawn a “werfault” process
• Other child processes will depend on the DLL being registered by actions like “regsvr”. In case where the DLLs have external calls (which should be rare). Other child processes might spawn and additional filters need to be applied.

MITRE ATT&CK Context

• Technique: T1218.008 — T1218.008

References

• https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/odbc/odbcconf-exe?view=sql-server-ver16
• https://lolbas-project.github.io/lolbas/Binaries/Odbcconf/
• https://medium.com/@cyberjyot/t1218-008-dll-execution-using-odbcconf-exe-803fa9e08dac
• SigmaHQ Rule