huntrule

DNS Queries to Low-Reputation Effective TLDs (eTLD) via Known Bad TLD List

Alerts on DNS queries targeting domains under known low-reputation eTLD suffixes from an external threat-intel list.

FreeReviewedSigma · Medium · v5
Category
dns
Author
Norbert Jaśniewicz (AlphaSOC) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2025-08-04
Updated
2026-07-31
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

C2

  1. Recon

  2. Resource Dev

  3. Initial Access

  4. Execution

  5. Persistence

  6. Priv Esc

  7. Defense Evasion

  8. Cred Access

  9. Discovery

  10. Lateral Movement

  11. Collection

  12. C2

  13. Exfiltration

  14. Impact

What it detects

This rule flags DNS queries whose domain names end with specific low-reputation effective top-level domains (eTLDs). Attackers may use these domains to blend in with less-trusted infrastructure during command-and-control or initial access. The detection relies on DNS query telemetry containing the queried domain name and matches it against a predefined list of high-risk suffixes sourced from AlphaSOC threat intelligence, updated monthly.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1071.004 — drag to rearrange
Suspicious Script Download via Curl and PowerShell by Dohdoor
DoT (DNS Over TLS) Activation - Command (via process_creation)
DoT (DNS Over TLS) Activation - PowerShell (via powershell)
Possible C2 Beacon with Fixed Authorization URI Parameter via proxy
Suspicious FinCounter DNS Tunneling Query via dns_query
Malicious SUNBURST Command and Control DNS Query to avsvmcloud Domain (via dns_query)
Suspicious Exploitation Callback to Dnslog Service (via dns_query)
Malicious Project CAV3RN DNS Configuration Recovery via cloudlanecdn.com (via dns_query)
Suspicious Entra Sign-In Interrupt With High Aggregated Risk via AiTM DNS Hijacking (via azure)
DNS Queries to Low-Reputation Effective TLDs (eTLD) via Known Bad TLD List
Pivot detection · T1071.004 · 9 related

Changelog

v5
  1. v5
    Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
  2. v4
    Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
  3. v3
    Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
  4. v2
    Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
  5. v1
    No changelog recorded for this version.2026-07-30

Detection content is published as a reviewed draft. Tune thresholds and exclusions against your own telemetry before enabling this rule for alerting.