Enable Microsoft Dynamic Data Exchange

Hunt Hypothesis

Enable Dynamic Data Exchange protocol (DDE) in all supported editions of Microsoft Word or Excel.

Detection Rule

Sigma (Original)

title: Enable Microsoft Dynamic Data Exchange
id: 63647769-326d-4dde-a419-b925cc0caf42
status: test
description: Enable Dynamic Data Exchange protocol (DDE) in all supported editions of Microsoft Word or Excel.
references:
    - https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/ADV170021
author: frack113
date: 2022-02-26
modified: 2023-08-17
tags:
    - attack.execution
    - attack.t1559.002
logsource:
    category: registry_set
    product: windows
detection:
    selection_word:
        TargetObject|endswith: '\Word\Security\AllowDDE'
        Details:
            - 'DWORD (0x00000001)'
            - 'DWORD (0x00000002)'
    selection_excel:
        TargetObject|endswith:
            - '\Excel\Security\DisableDDEServerLaunch'
            - '\Excel\Security\DisableDDEServerLookup'
        Details: 'DWORD (0x00000000)'
    condition: 1 of selection_*
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: medium

KQL (Azure Sentinel)

imRegistry
| where (RegistryKey endswith "\\Word\\Security\\AllowDDE" and (RegistryValueData in~ ("DWORD (0x00000001)", "DWORD (0x00000002)"))) or ((RegistryKey endswith "\\Excel\\Security\\DisableDDEServerLaunch" or RegistryKey endswith "\\Excel\\Security\\DisableDDEServerLookup") and RegistryValueData =~ "DWORD (0x00000000)")

KQL (Microsoft 365 Defender)

DeviceRegistryEvents
| where (RegistryKey endswith "\\Word\\Security\\AllowDDE" and (RegistryValueData in~ ("DWORD (0x00000001)", "DWORD (0x00000002)"))) or ((RegistryKey endswith "\\Excel\\Security\\DisableDDEServerLaunch" or RegistryKey endswith "\\Excel\\Security\\DisableDDEServerLookup") and RegistryValueData =~ "DWORD (0x00000000)")

Required Data Sources

False Positive Guidance

• Unknown

MITRE ATT&CK Context

• Tactic: Execution
• Technique: T1559.002 — T1559.002

References

• https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/ADV170021
• SigmaHQ Rule