Windows File Drop Indicators for Pingback Backdoor (updata.exe to oci.dll)

title: Windows File Drop Indicators for Pingback Backdoor (updata.exe to oci.dll)
id: 1d89169c-72e0-48d4-8b8b-6c56410ce5e9
related:
  - id: 35a7dc42-bc6f-46e0-9f83-81f8e56c8d4b
    type: similar
  - id: b2400ffb-7680-47c0-b08a-098a7de7e7a9
    type: similar
  - id: 2bd63d53-84d4-4210-80ff-bf0658f1bf78
    type: derived
status: test
description: "This rule flags a specific Windows file creation or modification pattern associated with the Pingback backdoor: an executable named updata.exe writing a DLL at C:\\Windows\\oci.dll. Such behavior matters because placing or updating system-path components can support stealthy execution and persistence mechanisms for C2 tooling. The detection relies on Windows file event telemetry that records process image names and target filenames."
references:
  - https://www.trustwave.com/en-us/resources/blogs/spiderlabs-blog/backdoor-at-the-end-of-the-icmp-tunnel
  - https://app.any.run/tasks/4a54c651-b70b-4b72-84d7-f34d301d6406
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules-emerging-threats/2021/Malware/Pingback/file_event_win_malware_pingback_backdoor.yml
author: Bhabesh Raj, Huntrule Team
date: 2021-05-05
modified: 2023-02-17
tags:
  - attack.privilege-escalation
  - attack.persistence
  - attack.execution
  - attack.stealth
  - attack.t1574.001
  - detection.emerging-threats
logsource:
  product: windows
  category: file_event
detection:
  selection:
    Image|endswith: updata.exe
    TargetFilename: C:\Windows\oci.dll
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Unlikely
level: high
license: DRL-1.1