Application Termination Attempt via Wmic.EXE

Detects an attempt to terminate a process via "wmic" with the "call terminate" flag. Adversaries may use wmic to terminate security products or other applications on the compromised host. This event is triggered on on attempt and process creation can be either successful or unsuccessful.

title: Application Termination Attempt via Wmic.EXE
id: 49d9671b-0a0a-4c09-8280-d215bfd30662
related:
    - id: 847d5ff3-8a31-4737-a970-aeae8fe21765 # Uninstall Security Products
      type: derived
status: test
description: |
    Detects an attempt to terminate a process via "wmic" with the "call terminate" flag. Adversaries may
    use wmic to terminate security products or other applications on the compromised host. This event is
    triggered on on attempt and process creation can be either successful or unsuccessful.
references:
    - https://cyble.com/blog/lockfile-ransomware-using-proxyshell-attack-to-deploy-ransomware/
    - https://www.bitdefender.com/files/News/CaseStudies/study/377/Bitdefender-Whitepaper-WMI-creat4871-en-EN-GenericUse.pdf
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems)
date: 2023-09-11
tags:
    - attack.execution
    - attack.t1047
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection_img:
        - Image|endswith: '\WMIC.exe'
        - OriginalFileName: 'wmic.exe'
    selection_cli:
        CommandLine|contains|all:
            - 'call'
            - 'terminate'
    condition: all of selection_*
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: medium
regression_tests_path: regression_data/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_wmic_terminate_application/info.yml

• T1047Windows Management Instrumentation

• https://cyble.com/blog/lockfile-ransomware-using-proxyshell-attack-to-deploy-ransomware/↗
• https://www.bitdefender.com/files/News/CaseStudies/study/377/Bitdefender-Whitepaper-WMI-creat4871-en-EN-GenericUse.pdf↗