The Europium campaign leverages hash and IP IOCs to exfiltrate data and establish command and control, indicating potential Iranian state-sponsored cyber activity. SOC teams should proactively hunt for this behavior in Azure Sentinel to detect and mitigate advanced persistent threats targeting critical infrastructure.
KQL Query
let iocs = externaldata(DateAdded:string,IoC:string,Type:string,TLP:string) [@"https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Azure/Azure-Sentinel/master/Sample%20Data/Feeds/Europium_September2022.csv"] with (format="csv", ignoreFirstRecord=True);
let sha256Hashes = (iocs | where Type =~ "sha256" | project IoC);
let IPList = (iocs | where Type =~ "ip"| project IoC);
let IPRegex = '[0-9]{1,3}\\.[0-9]{1,3}\\.[0-9]{1,3}\\.[0-9]{1,3}';
(union isfuzzy=true
(CommonSecurityLog
| where SourceIP in (IPList) or DestinationIP in (IPList) or Message has_any (IPList)
| parse Message with * '(' DNSName ')' *
| project TimeGenerated, SourceIP, DestinationIP, Message, SourceUserID, RequestURL, DNSName, Type
| extend MessageIP = extract(IPRegex, 0, Message), RequestIP = extract(IPRegex, 0, RequestURL)
| extend IPMatch = case(SourceIP in (IPList), "SourceIP", DestinationIP in (IPList), "DestinationIP", MessageIP in (IPList), "Message", "NoMatch")
| extend timestamp = TimeGenerated, IPEntity = case(IPMatch == "SourceIP", SourceIP, IPMatch == "DestinationIP", DestinationIP, IPMatch == "Message", MessageIP, "NoMatch")
),
(DnsEvents
| where IPAddresses in (IPList)
| project TimeGenerated, Computer, IPAddresses, Name, ClientIP, Type
| extend DestinationIPAddress = IPAddresses, DNSName = Name, Computer
| extend timestamp = TimeGenerated, IPEntity = DestinationIPAddress, HostEntity = Computer
),
(VMConnection
| where SourceIp in (IPList) or DestinationIp in (IPList)
| parse RemoteDnsCanonicalNames with * '["' DNSName '"]' *
| project TimeGenerated, Computer, Direction, ProcessName, SourceIp, DestinationIp, DestinationPort, RemoteDnsQuestions, DNSName,BytesSent, BytesReceived, RemoteCountry, Type
| extend IPMatch = case( SourceIp in (IPList), "SourceIP", DestinationIp in (IPList), "DestinationIP", "None")
| extend timestamp = TimeGenerated, IPEntity = case(IPMatch == "SourceIP", SourceIp, IPMatch == "DestinationIP", DestinationIp, "NoMatch"), File = ProcessName, HostEntity = Computer
),
(Event
| where Source == "Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon"
| where EventID == 3
| extend EvData = parse_xml(EventData)
| extend EventDetail = EvData.DataItem.EventData.Data
| extend SourceIP = tostring(EventDetail.[9].["#text"]), DestinationIP = tostring(EventDetail.[14].["#text"]), Image = tostring(EventDetail.[4].["#text"])
| where SourceIP in (IPList) or DestinationIP in (IPList)
| project TimeGenerated, SourceIP, DestinationIP, Image, UserName, Computer, Type
| extend IPMatch = case( SourceIP in (IPList), "SourceIP", DestinationIP in (IPList), "DestinationIP", "None")
| extend timestamp = TimeGenerated, File = tostring(split(Image, '\\', -1)[-1]), IPEntity = case(IPMatch == "SourceIP", SourceIP, IPMatch == "DestinationIP", DestinationIP, "None"),
HostEntity = Computer, AccountName = tostring(split(UserName, @'\')[1]), AccountDomain = tostring(split(UserName, @'\')[0])
| extend InitiatingProcessAccount = UserName
),
(OfficeActivity
| where ClientIP in (IPList)
| project TimeGenerated, UserAgent, Operation, RecordType, UserId, ClientIP, Type
| extend timestamp = TimeGenerated, IPEntity = ClientIP, AccountName = tostring(split(UserId, "@")[0]), AccountDomain = tostring(split(UserId, "@")[1])
| extend InitiatingProcessAccount = UserId
),
(DeviceNetworkEvents
| where RemoteIP in (IPList) or InitiatingProcessSHA256 in (sha256Hashes)
| project TimeGenerated, ActionType, DeviceId, Computer = DeviceName, InitiatingProcessAccountDomain, InitiatingProcessAccountName, InitiatingProcessCommandLine,
InitiatingProcessFolderPath, InitiatingProcessId, InitiatingProcessParentFileName, InitiatingProcessFileName, RemoteIP, RemoteUrl, RemotePort, LocalIP, Type
| extend timestamp = TimeGenerated, IPEntity = RemoteIP, HostEntity = Computer, AccountName = InitiatingProcessAccountName, AccountDomain = InitiatingProcessAccountDomain
| extend InitiatingProcessAccount = strcat(AccountDomain, "\\", AccountName)
),
(WindowsFirewall
| where SourceIP in (IPList) or DestinationIP in (IPList)
| project TimeGenerated, Computer, CommunicationDirection, SourceIP, DestinationIP, SourcePort, DestinationPort, Type
| extend IPMatch = case( SourceIP in (IPList), "SourceIP", DestinationIP in (IPList), "DestinationIP", "None")
| extend timestamp = TimeGenerated, HostEntity = Computer, IPEntity = case(IPMatch == "SourceIP", SourceIP, IPMatch == "DestinationIP", DestinationIP, "None")
),
(imFileEvent
| where TargetFileSHA256 has_any (sha256Hashes)
| extend Account = ActorUsername, Computer = DvcHostname, IPAddress = SrcIpAddr, CommandLine = ActingProcessCommandLine, FileHash = TargetFileSHA256
| project Type, TimeGenerated, Computer, Account, IPAddress, CommandLine, FileHash
| extend timestamp = TimeGenerated, IPEntity = IPAddress, HostEntity = Computer, Algorithm = "SHA256", FileHash = tostring(FileHash)
| extend AccountName = tostring(split(Account, @'\')[1]), AccountDomain = tostring(split(Account, @'\')[0])
| extend InitiatingProcessAccount = Account
),
(DeviceFileEvents
| where SHA256 has_any (sha256Hashes)
| project TimeGenerated, ActionType, DeviceId, DeviceName, InitiatingProcessAccountDomain, InitiatingProcessAccountName, InitiatingProcessCommandLine, InitiatingProcessFolderPath,
InitiatingProcessId, InitiatingProcessParentFileName, InitiatingProcessFileName, InitiatingProcessSHA256, Type
| extend timestamp = TimeGenerated, HostEntity = DeviceName, AccountName = InitiatingProcessAccountName, AccountDomain = InitiatingProcessAccountDomain,
Algorithm = "SHA256", FileHash = tostring(InitiatingProcessSHA256), CommandLine = InitiatingProcessCommandLine,Image = InitiatingProcessFolderPath
| extend InitiatingProcessAccount = strcat(AccountDomain, "\\", AccountName)
),
(DeviceImageLoadEvents
| where SHA256 has_any (sha256Hashes)
| project TimeGenerated, ActionType, DeviceId, DeviceName, InitiatingProcessAccountDomain, InitiatingProcessAccountName, InitiatingProcessCommandLine, InitiatingProcessFolderPath,
InitiatingProcessId, InitiatingProcessParentFileName, InitiatingProcessFileName, InitiatingProcessSHA256, Type
| extend timestamp = TimeGenerated, HostEntity = DeviceName, AccountName = InitiatingProcessAccountName, AccountDomain = InitiatingProcessAccountDomain,
Algorithm = "SHA256", FileHash = tostring(InitiatingProcessSHA256), CommandLine = InitiatingProcessCommandLine,Image = InitiatingProcessFolderPath
| extend InitiatingProcessAccount = strcat(AccountDomain, "\\", AccountName)
),
(Event
| where Source =~ "Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon"
| where EventID == 1
| extend EvData = parse_xml(EventData)
| extend EventDetail = EvData.DataItem.EventData.Data
| extend Image = EventDetail.[4].["#text"], CommandLine = EventDetail.[10].["#text"], Hashes = tostring(EventDetail.[17].["#text"])
| extend Hashes = extract_all(@"(?P<key>\w+)=(?P<value>[a-zA-Z0-9]+)", dynamic(["key","value"]), Hashes)
| extend Hashes = column_ifexists("Hashes", dynamic(["", ""])), CommandLine = column_ifexists("CommandLine", "")
| mv-expand Hashes
| where Hashes[0] =~ "SHA256" and Hashes[1] has_any (sha256Hashes)
| project TimeGenerated, EventDetail, UserName, Computer, Type, Source, Hashes, CommandLine, Image
| extend Type = strcat(Type, ": ", Source)
| extend timestamp = TimeGenerated, HostEntity = Computer, AccountName = tostring(split(UserName, @'\')[1]), AccountUPNSuffix = tostring(split(UserName, @'\')[0]), FileHash = tostring(Hashes[1])
| extend InitiatingProcessAccount = UserName
)
)
| extend HostName = tostring(split(HostEntity, ".")[0]), DomainIndex = toint(indexof(HostEntity, '.'))
| extend HostNameDomain = iff(DomainIndex != -1, substring(HostEntity, DomainIndex + 1), HostEntity)
id: 9d8b5a18-b7db-4c23-84a6-95febaf7e1e4
name: Europium - Hash and IP IOCs - September 2022
description: |
'Identifies a match across various data feeds for hashes and IP IOC related to Europium
Reference: https://www.microsoft.com/security/blog/2022/09/08/microsoft-investigates-iranian-attacks-against-the-albanian-government'
severity: High
requiredDataConnectors:
- connectorId: DNS
dataTypes:
- DnsEvents
- connectorId: AzureMonitor(VMInsights)
dataTypes:
- VMConnection
- connectorId: F5
dataTypes:
- CommonSecurityLog
- connectorId: CiscoASA
dataTypes:
- CommonSecurityLog
- connectorId: PaloAltoNetworks
dataTypes:
- CommonSecurityLog
- connectorId: Fortinet
dataTypes:
- CommonSecurityLog
- connectorId: CheckPoint
dataTypes:
- CommonSecurityLog
- connectorId: CEF
dataTypes:
- CommonSecurityLog
- connectorId: MicrosoftThreatProtection
dataTypes:
- DeviceNetworkEvents
- DeviceFileEvents
- DeviceImageLoadEvents
- connectorId: Office365
dataTypes:
- OfficeActivity
- connectorId: AzureFirewall
dataTypes:
- AzureDiagnostics
- connectorId: WindowsFirewall
dataTypes:
- WindowsFirewall
queryFrequency: 12h
queryPeriod: 12h
triggerOperator: gt
triggerThreshold: 0
tactics:
- CommandAndControl
- CredentialAccess
relevantTechniques:
- T1071
- T1003
tags:
- Europium
- Schema: ASIMFileEvent
SchemaVersion: 0.1.0
query: |
let iocs = externaldata(DateAdded:string,IoC:string,Type:string,TLP:string) [@"https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Azure/Azure-Sentinel/master/Sample%20Data/Feeds/Europium_September2022.csv"] with (format="csv", ignoreFirstRecord=True);
let sha256Hashes = (iocs | where Type =~ "sha256" | project IoC);
let IPList = (iocs | where Type =~ "ip"| project IoC);
let IPRegex = '[0-9]{1,3}\\.[0-9]{1,3}\\.[0-9]{1,3}\\.[0-9]{1,3}';
(union isfuzzy=true
(CommonSecurityLog
| where SourceIP in (IPList) or DestinationIP in (IPList) or Message has_any (IPList)
| parse Message with * '(' DNSName ')' *
| project TimeGenerated, SourceIP, DestinationIP, Message, SourceUserID, RequestURL, DNSName, Type
| extend MessageIP = extract(IPRegex, 0, Message), RequestIP = extract(IPRegex, 0, RequestURL)
| extend IPMatch = case(SourceIP in (IPList), "SourceIP", DestinationIP in (IPList), "DestinationIP", MessageIP in (IPList), "Message", "NoMatch")
| extend timestamp = TimeGenerated, IPEntity = case(IPMatch == "SourceIP", SourceIP, IPMatch == "DestinationIP", DestinationIP, IPMatch == "Message", MessageIP, "NoMatch")
),
(DnsEvents
| where IPAddresses in (IPList)
| project TimeGenerated, Computer, IPAddresses, Name, ClientIP, Type
| extend DestinationIPAddress = IPAddresses, DNSName = Name, Computer
| extend timestamp = TimeGenerated, IPEntity = DestinationIPAddress, HostEntity = Computer
),
(VMConnection
| where SourceIp| Sentinel Table | Notes |
|---|---|
CommonSecurityLog | Ensure this data connector is enabled |
DeviceFileEvents | Ensure this data connector is enabled |
DeviceImageLoadEvents | Ensure this data connector is enabled |
DeviceNetworkEvents | Ensure this data connector is enabled |
DnsEvents | Ensure this data connector is enabled |
OfficeActivity | Ensure this data connector is enabled |
VMConnection | Ensure this data connector is enabled |
imFileEvent | Ensure this data connector is enabled |
Scenario: Legitimate System Update with Hash Match
Description: A system update or patching process includes a file with a hash that matches a known malicious hash from the Europium campaign.
Filter/Exclusion: Check for file_name containing “update”, “patch”, or “WindowsUpdate” and exclude hashes associated with Microsoft-signed binaries.
Scenario: Scheduled Job for Log Collection with IP Match
Description: A scheduled job runs to collect logs from remote servers, and the IP address used for log collection matches an IP from the Europium IOC list.
Filter/Exclusion: Exclude IP addresses associated with internal log management tools like Splunk, ELK Stack, or Graylog, and filter by process_name like “logcollector” or “syslog”.
Scenario: Admin Task Involving Hashed Data for Compliance
Description: An administrator hashes sensitive data for compliance or audit purposes, and the hash matches a hash from the Europium IOC list.
Filter/Exclusion: Exclude processes initiated by admin accounts with user_name matching domain admins or compliance roles, and filter by process_name like “hashutil” or “compliance_tool”.
Scenario: Network Monitoring Tool Using Known IP for Traffic Analysis
Description: A network monitoring tool (e.g., PRTG, SolarWinds, or Nagios) uses an IP address from the Europium IOC list to query external threat intelligence feeds.
Filter/Exclusion: Exclude IPs used by known network monitoring tools and filter by process_name or command_line containing “threatintel”, “feed”, or “query”.
Scenario: Antivirus or EDR Tool Performing Signature Update
Description: An endpoint detection and response (EDR) tool, such as CrowdStrike, `Sent