Windows: Renamed Visual Studio NodejsTools PressAnyKey.exe Execution

title: "Windows: Renamed Visual Studio NodejsTools PressAnyKey.exe Execution"
id: 745982ec-2796-400d-af94-66f7580f9310
related:
  - id: a20391f8-76fb-437b-abc0-dba2df1952c6
    type: similar
  - id: 65c3ca2c-525f-4ced-968e-246a713d164f
    type: derived
status: test
description: This rule identifies process executions where the original file name matches Microsoft.NodejsTools.PressAnyKey.exe but the running binary name indicates it has been renamed. Attackers can abuse renamed binaries as living-off-the-land style execution paths to blend in with legitimate developer tooling. Telemetry relies on Windows process creation fields for the image path and the OriginalFileName value reported by the file metadata.
references:
  - https://twitter.com/mrd0x/status/1463526834918854661
  - https://gist.github.com/nasbench/a989ce64cefa8081bd50cf6ad8c491b5
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_renamed_pressanykey.yml
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2023-04-11
tags:
  - attack.execution
  - attack.stealth
  - attack.t1218
logsource:
  category: process_creation
  product: windows
detection:
  selection:
    OriginalFileName: Microsoft.NodejsTools.PressAnyKey.exe
  filter_main_legit_name:
    Image|endswith: \Microsoft.NodejsTools.PressAnyKey.exe
  condition: selection and not 1 of filter_main_*
falsepositives:
  - Unknown
level: medium
license: DRL-1.1