Office Document Executing Macro Code

SPLUNK detection rule by Teoderick Contreras, Splunk · Apache-2.0

The following analytic has been deprecated. The following analytic identifies office documents executing macro code. It leverages Sysmon EventCode 7 to detect when processes like WINWORD.EXE or EXCEL.EXE load specific DLLs associated with macros (e.g., VBE7.DLL). This activity is significant because macros are a common attack vector for delivering malicious payloads, such as malware. If confirmed malicious, this could lead to unauthorized code execution, data exfiltration, or further compromise of the system. Disabling macros by default is recommended to mitigate this risk.

name: Office Document Executing Macro Code
id: b12c89bc-9d06-11eb-a592-acde48001122
version: 11
creation_date: '2025-01-24'
modification_date: '2026-05-13'
author: Teoderick Contreras, Splunk
status: removed
type: TTP
description: The following analytic has been deprecated. The following analytic identifies office documents executing macro code. It leverages Sysmon EventCode 7 to detect when processes like WINWORD.EXE or EXCEL.EXE load specific DLLs associated with macros (e.g., VBE7.DLL). This activity is significant because macros are a common attack vector for delivering malicious payloads, such as malware. If confirmed malicious, this could lead to unauthorized code execution, data exfiltration, or further compromise of the system. Disabling macros by default is recommended to mitigate this risk.
data_source:
    - Sysmon EventID 7
search: '`sysmon` EventCode=7 process_name IN ("WINWORD.EXE", "EXCEL.EXE", "POWERPNT.EXE","onenote.exe","onenotem.exe","onenoteviewer.exe","onenoteim.exe","msaccess.exe") loaded_file_path IN ("*\\VBE7INTL.DLL","*\\VBE7.DLL", "*\\VBEUI.DLL") | fillnull | stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime by EventID FileVersion Guid Hashes Image ImageLoaded MD5 Opcode OriginalFileName ProcessGuid ProcessID ProcessId SHA256 SecurityID Signature SignatureStatus Signed UserID dest loaded_file loaded_file_path original_file_name process_exec process_guid process_hash process_id process_name process_path service_dll_signature_exists service_dll_signature_verified signature signature_id user_id vendor_product | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)` | `office_document_executing_macro_code_filter`'
how_to_implement: To successfully implement this search, you need to be ingesting logs with the process name and ImageLoaded (Like sysmon EventCode 7) from your endpoints. If you are using Sysmon, you must have at least version 6.0.4 of the Sysmon TA. Also be sure to include those monitored dll to your own sysmon config.
known_false_positives: False positives may occur if legitimate office documents are executing macro code. Ensure to investigate the macro code and the command to be executed. If the macro code is benign, add the document name to the exclusion list. Some applications may legitimately load VBE7INTL.DLL, VBE7.DLL, or VBEUI.DLL.
references:
    - https://www.joesandbox.com/analysis/386500/0/html
    - https://www.joesandbox.com/analysis/702680/0/html
    - https://bazaar.abuse.ch/sample/02cbc1ab80695fc12ff8822b926957c3a600247b9ca412a137f69cb5716c8781/
    - https://www.fortinet.com/blog/threat-research/latest-remcos-rat-phishing
    - https://www.trustwave.com/en-us/resources/blogs/spiderlabs-blog/trojanized-onenote-document-leads-to-formbook-malware/
    - https://www.fortinet.com/blog/threat-research/leveraging-microsoft-office-documents-to-deliver-agent-tesla-and-njrat
drilldown_searches:
    - name: View the detection results for - "$dest$"
      search: '%original_detection_search% | search  dest = "$dest$"'
      earliest_offset: $info_min_time$
      latest_offset: $info_max_time$
    - name: View risk events for the last 7 days for - "$dest$"
      search: '| from datamodel Risk.All_Risk | search normalized_risk_object IN ("$dest$") starthoursago=168  | stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime values(search_name) as "Search Name" values(risk_message) as "Risk Message" values(analyticstories) as "Analytic Stories" values(annotations._all) as "Annotations" values(annotations.mitre_attack.mitre_tactic) as "ATT&CK Tactics" by normalized_risk_object | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`'
      earliest_offset: $info_min_time$
      latest_offset: $info_max_time$
rba:
    message: Office document executing a macro on $dest$
    risk_objects:
        - field: dest
          type: system
          score: 35
    threat_objects: []
tags:
    analytic_story:
        - Spearphishing Attachments
        - Trickbot
        - IcedID
        - DarkCrystal RAT
        - AgentTesla
        - Qakbot
        - Azorult
        - Remcos
        - PlugX
        - NjRAT
    asset_type: Endpoint
    mitre_attack_id:
        - T1566.001
    product:
        - Splunk Enterprise
        - Splunk Enterprise Security
        - Splunk Cloud
    security_domain: endpoint
tests:
    - name: True Positive Test
      attack_data:
          - data: https://media.githubusercontent.com/media/splunk/attack_data/master/datasets/attack_techniques/T1566.001/datasets/windows-sysmon.log
            source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational
            sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog
deprecation_info:
    reason: Renamed and updated logic
    removed_in_version: 5.2.0
    replacement_content:
        - Windows Office Product Loading VBE7 DLL

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15cd54df-bf3e-4a9f-a571-a37e2591d478

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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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