Potential Data Stealing Via Chromium Headless Debugging

Hunt Hypothesis

Detects chromium based browsers starting in headless and debugging mode and pointing to a user profile. This could be a sign of data stealing or remote control

Detection Rule

Sigma (Original)

title: Potential Data Stealing Via Chromium Headless Debugging
id: 3e8207c5-fcd2-4ea6-9418-15d45b4890e4
related:
    - id: b3d34dc5-2efd-4ae3-845f-8ec14921f449
      type: derived
status: test
description: Detects chromium based browsers starting in headless and debugging mode and pointing to a user profile. This could be a sign of data stealing or remote control
references:
    - https://github.com/defaultnamehere/cookie_crimes/
    - https://mango.pdf.zone/stealing-chrome-cookies-without-a-password
    - https://embracethered.com/blog/posts/2020/cookie-crimes-on-mirosoft-edge/
    - https://embracethered.com/blog/posts/2020/chrome-spy-remote-control/
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems)
date: 2022-12-23
tags:
    - attack.credential-access
    - attack.collection
    - attack.stealth
    - attack.t1185
    - attack.t1564.003
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection:
        CommandLine|contains|all:
            - '--remote-debugging-' # Covers: --remote-debugging-address, --remote-debugging-port, --remote-debugging-socket-name, --remote-debugging-pipe....etc
            - '--user-data-dir'
            - '--headless'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: high

KQL (Azure Sentinel)

imProcessCreate
| where TargetProcessCommandLine contains "--remote-debugging-" and TargetProcessCommandLine contains "--user-data-dir" and TargetProcessCommandLine contains "--headless"

Required Data Sources

False Positive Guidance

• Unknown

MITRE ATT&CK Context

• Tactic: Credential Access
• Tactic: Collection
• Technique: T1185 — T1185
• Technique: T1564.003 — T1564.003

References

• https://github.com/defaultnamehere/cookie_crimes/
• https://mango.pdf.zone/stealing-chrome-cookies-without-a-password
• https://embracethered.com/blog/posts/2020/cookie-crimes-on-mirosoft-edge/
• https://embracethered.com/blog/posts/2020/chrome-spy-remote-control/
• SigmaHQ Rule