huntrule

Zeek DNS Queries Ending in Known Crypto Mining Pool Domains

Alert on Zeek DNS queries ending in mining-pool-related domains, excluding local/rejected answers.

FreeReviewedSigma · Low · v2
Product
zeek
Service
dns
Author
Saw Winn Naung, Azure-Sentinel, @neu5ron (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2021-08-19
Updated
2026-07-31
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

Execution → Impact

  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 Zeek DNS events where the queried domain ends with a set of commonly used mining pool domains. Attackers may use these lookups to reach pool/proxy infrastructure for cryptocurrency mining, making DNS request patterns a useful early indicator. It relies on Zeek DNS query telemetry (query name) and uses Zeek DNS answer and rejection context to reduce noise from local/invalid responses.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1496 — drag to rearrange
Malicious Cryptocurrency Miner Execution via XMRig and c3pool (via process_creation)
Suspicious Executable Launched from Public Music Staging Directory (via process_creation)
Malicious WinRing0 Vulnerable Driver Load for Coin Mining
Suspicious Power Configuration Change to Prevent Sleep via powercfg
Suspicious kswapd0 Masquerading Miner Process
Suspicious XMRig Cryptominer Execution with Pool URL by StaryDobry
Suspicious SteelFox Service Binary Launched by services.exe
Malicious Service Execution via PAExec
Suspicious RemCom Service Named Pipe for Lateral Movement (via pipe_created)
Zeek DNS Queries Ending in Known Crypto Mining Pool Domains
Pivot detection · T1496 · 9 related

Changelog

v2
  1. v2
    Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
  2. 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.