Device Detectmacroconnectingtointernet

KQL detection rule by reprise99 · MIT

Detect when an Excel macro connects to the internet. Some IPs returned shown may be Microsoft telemetry but these events are still worth investigating.

//Detect when an Excel macro connects to the internet. 
//Some IPs returned shown may be Microsoft telemetry but these events are still worth investigating.

//Data connector required for this query - M365 Defender - Device* tables

//Microsoft Sentinel query
DeviceNetworkEvents
| where InitiatingProcessFileName contains "excel.exe"
| where InitiatingProcessCommandLine contains ".xlsm" or InitiatingProcessCommandLine contains ".xltm"
//Exclude Microsoft telemetry endpoints 
| where RemoteUrl !endswith "outlook.com" 
    and RemoteUrl !endswith "office.com"
    and RemoteUrl !endswith "microsoft.com"
    and RemoteUrl !endswith "office365.com"
    and RemoteUrl !endswith "live.com"
    and RemoteUrl !endswith "office.net"
| where RemoteIPType == "Public"
| project
    TimeGenerated,
    DeviceName,
    InitiatingProcessCommandLine,
    LocalIP,
    RemoteIP,
    RemotePort,
    RemoteUrl

//Advanced Hunting query

//Data connector required for this query - Advanced Hunting license

DeviceNetworkEvents
| where InitiatingProcessFileName contains "excel.exe"
| where InitiatingProcessCommandLine contains ".xlsm" or InitiatingProcessCommandLine contains ".xltm"
| where RemoteIPType == "Public"
//Exclude Microsoft telemetry endpoints 
| where RemoteUrl !endswith "outlook.com" 
    and RemoteUrl !endswith "office.com"
    and RemoteUrl !endswith "microsoft.com"
    and RemoteUrl !endswith "office365.com"
    and RemoteUrl !endswith "live.com"
    and RemoteUrl !endswith "office.net"
| project
    Timestamp,
    DeviceName,
    InitiatingProcessCommandLine,
    LocalIP,
    RemoteIP,
    RemotePort,
    RemoteUrl

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

95559ce4-51f5-4f52-b0ef-f2fe474c9b27

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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

[[ reason ]]

What does this mean?

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.

[[ reason ]]

What do these messages mean?

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

[[ currentRule.title ]]

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