Detect ASUS Live Update Embedded Malicious Code (CVE-2025-59374) in Splunk
Detects indicators of compromise related to CVE-2025-59374, a supply chain attack where ASUS Live Update software contained embedded malicious code (CWE-506). This mirrors the ShadowHammer operation pattern where threat actors compromised the ASUS software update infrastructure to deliver backdoored updates to endpoints. Detection focuses on suspicious child processes spawned by ASUS Live Update, anomalous network connections, and staging activity consistent with backdoor execution.
MITRE ATT&CK
SPL Detection Query
index=* sourcetype IN ("XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational", "WinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational", "crowdstrike:events:sensor")
(EventCode=1 OR event_simpleName=ProcessRollup2)
| eval parent=coalesce(ParentImage, parent_process_name)
| eval child=coalesce(Image, process_name)
| where match(parent, "(?i)(LiveUpdate|LivaUpdate|AsusLiveUpdate)")
| eval is_suspicious_child=if(match(child, "(?i)(cmd\.exe|powershell\.exe|wscript\.exe|cscript\.exe|mshta\.exe|rundll32\.exe|regsvr32\.exe|certutil\.exe|bitsadmin\.exe|wmic\.exe|schtasks\.exe|sc\.exe)"), 1, 0)
| eval is_network_conn=if(EventCode=3 OR event_simpleName="NetworkConnectIP4", 1, 0)
| search is_suspicious_child=1 OR is_network_conn=1
| table _time, host, user, parent, child, CommandLine, ParentCommandLine, DestinationIp, DestinationPort, Hashes
| sort - _timeSplunk search detecting ASUS Live Update spawning suspicious child processes or establishing unexpected network connections, consistent with CVE-2025-59374 supply chain backdoor activity.
Data Sources
Required Sourcetypes
False Positives & Tuning
- Legitimate ASUS update processes that invoke system utilities as part of patch installation
- IT administrators running scripts from ASUS update directories during maintenance windows
- Antivirus or EDR scanning ASUS update binaries triggering process events
Other platforms for CVE-2025-59374
Testing Methodology
Validate this detection against 3 adversary techniques from Atomic Red Team. Each test below lists the behaviour to exercise and the telemetry you should expect to see. Executable commands and cleanup steps are available with Pro.
- Test 1Simulate ASUS Live Update Spawning CMD Child Process
Expected signal: Sysmon Event ID 1 showing LiveUpdate.exe as parent of cmd.exe; DeviceProcessEvents in MDE showing the parent-child relationship with command-line arguments
- Test 2Simulate ASUS Live Update Network Beacon
Expected signal: Sysmon Event ID 3 or DeviceNetworkEvents showing LiveUpdate.exe initiating outbound HTTP connection to external IP; DNS query logs for associated domain lookups
- Test 3Simulate ASUS Live Update Dropping Payload to Temp
Expected signal: Sysmon Event ID 11 (FileCreate) showing executable written to TEMP directory; DeviceFileEvents in MDE capturing the file drop with SHA256 hash
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