Suspicious Printer Driver Empty Manufacturer

Hunt Hypothesis

Detects a suspicious printer driver installation with an empty Manufacturer value

Detection Rule

Sigma (Original)

title: Suspicious Printer Driver Empty Manufacturer
id: e0813366-0407-449a-9869-a2db1119dc41
status: test
description: Detects a suspicious printer driver installation with an empty Manufacturer value
references:
    - https://twitter.com/SBousseaden/status/1410545674773467140
author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems)
date: 2020-07-01
modified: 2023-08-17
tags:
    - attack.persistence
    - attack.privilege-escalation
    - attack.execution
    - attack.stealth
    - attack.t1574
    - cve.2021-1675
logsource:
    category: registry_set
    product: windows
detection:
    selection:
        TargetObject|contains|all:
            - '\Control\Print\Environments\Windows x64\Drivers'
            - '\Manufacturer'
        Details: '(Empty)'
    filter_cutepdf:
        TargetObject|contains: '\CutePDF Writer v4.0\'
    filter_vnc:
        TargetObject|contains:
            - '\VNC Printer (PS)\'
            - '\VNC Printer (UD)\'
    filter_pdf24:
        TargetObject|contains: '\Version-3\PDF24\'
    condition: selection and not 1 of filter_*
falsepositives:
    - Alerts on legitimate printer drivers that do not set any more details in the Manufacturer value
level: high

KQL (Azure Sentinel)

imRegistry
| where ((RegistryKey contains "\\Control\\Print\\Environments\\Windows x64\\Drivers" and RegistryKey contains "\\Manufacturer") and RegistryValueData =~ "(Empty)") and (not((RegistryKey endswith "\\CutePDF Writer v4.0*" or (RegistryKey endswith "\\VNC Printer (PS)*" or RegistryKey endswith "\\VNC Printer (UD)*") or RegistryKey endswith "\\Version-3\\PDF24*")))

KQL (Microsoft 365 Defender)

DeviceRegistryEvents
| where ((RegistryKey contains "\\Control\\Print\\Environments\\Windows x64\\Drivers" and RegistryKey contains "\\Manufacturer") and RegistryValueData =~ "(Empty)") and (not((RegistryKey endswith "\\CutePDF Writer v4.0*" or (RegistryKey endswith "\\VNC Printer (PS)*" or RegistryKey endswith "\\VNC Printer (UD)*") or RegistryKey endswith "\\Version-3\\PDF24*")))

Required Data Sources

False Positive Guidance

• Alerts on legitimate printer drivers that do not set any more details in the Manufacturer value

MITRE ATT&CK Context

• Tactic: Persistence
• Tactic: Privilege Escalation
• Tactic: Execution
• Technique: T1574 — T1574

References

• https://twitter.com/SBousseaden/status/1410545674773467140
• SigmaHQ Rule