Proxy logs: Detect suspicious hack tool user agents from known scanning and SQLi tools
Alerts on proxy requests with User-Agent values commonly used by scanners and hack tools, indicating automated probing or exploitation attempts.
- Category
- proxy
- Author
- Florian Roth (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
- Published
- 2017-07-08
- Updated
- 2026-07-31
ATT&CK techniques
Initial Access → Cred AccessRecon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact
What it detects
This rule matches proxy user-agent strings that contain or exactly equal values associated with vulnerability scanners, brute-force tools, and SQL injection tooling. Attackers often disguise automated probing by using characteristic user agents, so flagging these strings helps identify initial reconnaissance and credential-access activity. The detection relies on proxy log telemetry capturing the HTTP user-agent field.
Reporting behind it
- github.comhttps://github.com/fastly/waf_testbed/blob/8bfc406551f3045e418cbaad7596cff8da331dfc/templates/default/scanners-user-agents.data.erb
- rules.emergingthreats.nethttp://rules.emergingthreats.net/open/snort-2.9.0/rules/emerging-user_agents.rules
- github.comhttps://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/web/proxy_generic/proxy_ua_hacktool.yml
Changelog
v2- v2Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
- v1No 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.
title: "Proxy logs: Detect suspicious hack tool user agents from known scanning and SQLi tools"
id: f6a8dceb-0873-4345-8099-2b0d04740a89
status: test
description: This rule matches proxy user-agent strings that contain or exactly equal values associated with vulnerability scanners, brute-force tools, and SQL injection tooling. Attackers often disguise automated probing by using characteristic user agents, so flagging these strings helps identify initial reconnaissance and credential-access activity. The detection relies on proxy log telemetry capturing the HTTP user-agent field.
references:
- https://github.com/fastly/waf_testbed/blob/8bfc406551f3045e418cbaad7596cff8da331dfc/templates/default/scanners-user-agents.data.erb
- http://rules.emergingthreats.net/open/snort-2.9.0/rules/emerging-user_agents.rules
- https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/web/proxy_generic/proxy_ua_hacktool.yml
author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2017-07-08
modified: 2022-07-07
tags:
- attack.initial-access
- attack.t1190
- attack.credential-access
- attack.t1110
logsource:
category: proxy
detection:
selection:
c-useragent|contains:
- (hydra)
- " arachni/"
- " BFAC "
- " brutus "
- " cgichk "
- core-project/1.0
- " crimscanner/"
- datacha0s
- dirbuster
- domino hunter
- dotdotpwn
- FHScan Core
- floodgate
- get-minimal
- gootkit auto-rooter scanner
- grendel-scan
- " inspath "
- internet ninja
- jaascois
- " zmeu "
- masscan
- " metis "
- morfeus fucking scanner
- n-stealth
- nsauditor
- pmafind
- security scan
- springenwerk
- teh forest lobster
- toata dragostea
- " vega/"
- voideye
- webshag
- webvulnscan
- " whcc/"
- " Havij"
- absinthe
- bsqlbf
- mysqloit
- pangolin
- sql power injector
- sqlmap
- sqlninja
- uil2pn
- ruler
- Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; pt-PT; rv:1.9.1.2) Gecko/20090729 Firefox/3.5.2 (.NET CLR 3.5.30729)
condition: selection
falsepositives:
- Unknown
level: high
license: DRL-1.1
related:
- id: c42a3073-30fb-48ae-8c99-c23ada84b103
type: derived