BITSAdmin Downloading Malicious Binaries

SIGMA detection rule by RedCanary, Sigma formatting by Micah Babinski · GPL-3.0

It is not unusual for adversaries, including ones who peddle ransomware, to use BITSAdmin to download arbitrary files from the internet in an effort to evade application blocklisting. The following analytic will look for the execution of bitsadmin.exe with command options that suggest a file is being downloaded. Part of the RedCanary 2024 Threat Detection Report.

title: BITSAdmin Downloading Malicious Binaries
id: b195646e-8455-4fa1-b78a-91bb92371152
status: experimental
description: |
    It is not unusual for adversaries, including ones who peddle ransomware, to use 
    BITSAdmin to download arbitrary files from the internet in an effort to evade 
    application blocklisting. The following analytic will look for the execution of 
    bitsadmin.exe with command options that suggest a file is being downloaded. Part 
    of the RedCanary 2024 Threat Detection Report.
references:
    - https://redcanary.com/threat-detection-report/techniques/ingress-tool-transfer/
author: RedCanary, Sigma formatting by Micah Babinski
date: 2024/03/21
tags:
    - attack.command_and_control
    - attack.t1105
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection:
        Image|endswith: '\bitsadmin.exe'
        CommandLine|contains:
            - 'download'
            - 'transfer'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: low

[[ currentRule.title && currentRule.title.length > 60 ? currentRule.title.slice(0, 60) + '…' : currentRule.title ]]

403a19a9-3c59-4132-a69e-022a7cec6a91

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Executable code, not a declarative rule

This submission is arbitrary [[ currentRule.format ? currentRule.format.toUpperCase() : '' ]] code, not a declarative detection rule — review it as you would any script before running it, and note that it cannot be safely aggregated or auto-executed alongside YARA/Sigma/Suricata/CRS rules.

Rejected pattern present

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Format & documentation suggestions

Not a security issue — this rule is valid and was accepted as-is. These are optional fields/conventions its own format recommends, mainly affecting its quality score and how well it documents itself for other reviewers.

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[[ currentRule.title && currentRule.title.length > 60 ? currentRule.title.slice(0, 60) + '…' : currentRule.title ]]

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