Esentutl Gather Credentials

Hunt Hypothesis

Conti recommendation to its affiliates to use esentutl to access NTDS dumped file. Trickbot also uses this utilities to get MSEdge info via its module pwgrab.

Detection Rule

Sigma (Original)

title: Esentutl Gather Credentials
id: 7df1713a-1a5b-4a4b-a071-dc83b144a101
status: test
description: Conti recommendation to its affiliates to use esentutl to access NTDS dumped file. Trickbot also uses this utilities to get MSEdge info via its module pwgrab.
references:
    - https://twitter.com/vxunderground/status/1423336151860002816
    - https://thedfirreport.com/2021/08/01/bazarcall-to-conti-ransomware-via-trickbot-and-cobalt-strike/
author: sam0x90
date: 2021-08-06
modified: 2022-10-09
tags:
    - attack.credential-access
    - attack.t1003
    - attack.t1003.003
    - attack.s0404
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection:
        CommandLine|contains|all:
            - 'esentutl'
            - ' /p'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - To be determined
level: medium

KQL (Azure Sentinel)

imProcessCreate
| where TargetProcessCommandLine contains "esentutl" and TargetProcessCommandLine contains " /p"

Required Data Sources

False Positive Guidance

• To be determined

MITRE ATT&CK Context

• Tactic: Credential Access
• Technique: T1003 — T1003
• Technique: T1003.003 — T1003.003

References

• https://twitter.com/vxunderground/status/1423336151860002816
• https://thedfirreport.com/2021/08/01/bazarcall-to-conti-ransomware-via-trickbot-and-cobalt-strike/
• SigmaHQ Rule