Detect Databases in IBM QRadar
Adversaries may leverage databases to mine valuable information. These databases may be hosted on-premises or in the cloud (both in platform-as-a-service and software-as-a-service environments). Examples of databases from which information may be collected include MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Amazon Relational Database Service, Azure SQL Database, Google Firebase, and Snowflake. Databases may include a variety of information of interest to adversaries, such as usernames, hashed passwords, personally identifiable information, and financial data. Threat actors including Sandworm Team, FIN6, Sea Turtle, and UNC5537 have leveraged database administration tools such as Adminer, mysqldump, and sqlcmd to extract schema definitions, user credentials, and bulk records. Data collected from databases may be used for Lateral Movement, Command and Control, or Exfiltration, and may be used to extort victims or sold for profit.
MITRE ATT&CK
- Tactic
- Collection
- Technique
- T1213 Data from Information Repositories
- Sub-technique
- T1213.006 Databases
- Canonical reference
- https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1213/006/
QRadar Detection Query
SELECT
DATEFORMAT(starttime, 'YYYY-MM-dd HH:mm:ss') AS event_time,
logsourcename(logsourceid) AS log_source,
sourceip,
username,
"Image" AS process_image,
"CommandLine" AS command_line,
"ParentImage" AS parent_image,
CASE
WHEN LOWER("Image") MATCHES '.*?(mysqldump|pg_dump|pg_dumpall|mongodump|sqlite3)(\.exe)?$' AND LOWER("ParentImage") MATCHES '.*?(w3wp|php-cgi|php|httpd|nginx|tomcat|java)(\.exe)?$' THEN 'WebShellDumpToolExecution'
WHEN LOWER("Image") MATCHES '.*?(mysqldump|pg_dump|pg_dumpall|mongodump|sqlite3)(\.exe)?$' THEN 'DatabaseDumpToolExecution'
WHEN LOWER("Image") MATCHES '.*?(mysql|sqlcmd|psql|mongo|mongosh|osql|bcp|isql)(\.exe)?$' AND LOWER("ParentImage") MATCHES '.*?(w3wp|php-cgi|php|httpd|nginx|tomcat|java)(\.exe)?$' THEN 'WebShellDatabaseClientAccess'
WHEN LOWER("Image") MATCHES '.*?(mysql|sqlcmd|psql|mongo|mongosh|osql|bcp|isql)(\.exe)?$' AND LOWER("ParentImage") MATCHES '.*?(wscript|cscript|mshta|rundll32|regsvr32)(\.exe)?$' THEN 'ScriptEngineSpawnedDBClient'
WHEN LOWER("Image") MATCHES '.*?(mysql|sqlcmd|psql|mongo|mongosh|osql|bcp|isql)(\.exe)?$' AND (LOWER("CommandLine") LIKE '%--all-databases%' OR LOWER("CommandLine") LIKE '%into outfile%' OR LOWER("CommandLine") LIKE '%select * from%' OR LOWER("CommandLine") LIKE '%--databases%') THEN 'BulkDatabaseExtraction'
ELSE 'DatabaseCollectionActivity'
END AS detection_type
FROM events
WHERE
LOGSOURCETYPEID = 13 /* Microsoft Windows Security Event Log */
AND eventid = 1 /* Sysmon Process Create */
AND (
LOWER("Image") MATCHES '.*?(mysqldump|pg_dump|pg_dumpall|mongodump|sqlite3)(\.exe)?$'
OR (
LOWER("Image") MATCHES '.*?(mysql|sqlcmd|psql|mongo|mongosh|osql|bcp|isql)(\.exe)?$'
AND (
LOWER("ParentImage") MATCHES '.*?(w3wp|php-cgi|php|httpd|nginx|tomcat|java)(\.exe)?$'
OR LOWER("ParentImage") MATCHES '.*?(wscript|cscript|mshta|rundll32|regsvr32)(\.exe)?$'
OR LOWER("CommandLine") LIKE '%--all-databases%'
OR LOWER("CommandLine") LIKE '%into outfile%'
OR LOWER("CommandLine") LIKE '%into dumpfile%'
OR LOWER("CommandLine") LIKE '%select * from%'
OR LOWER("CommandLine") LIKE '%-e "select%'
OR LOWER("CommandLine") LIKE '%-q "select%'
)
)
)
AND LAST 24 HOURS
ORDER BY starttime DESCQRadar AQL query targeting Sysmon Event ID 1 (Process Create) to detect database data collection activity. Identifies execution of database dump utilities, database clients spawned by web server processes (webshell indicator), clients invoked with bulk extraction flags, and clients launched by suspicious scripting engines. Categorises each match into labelled detection types and orders results for triage.
Data Sources
Required Tables
False Positives & Tuning
- Scheduled database backup scripts running under service accounts during approved maintenance windows will trigger DatabaseDumpToolExecution alerts
- Application health-check scripts that use sqlcmd or psql to verify database connectivity, especially if launched from IIS worker processes in development environments
- Database migration tooling invoked by deployment automation that passes inline SQL statements matching SELECT * FROM or bulk extraction patterns
Other platforms for T1213.006
Testing Methodology
Validate this detection against 4 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 1MySQL Full Database Dump via mysqldump
Expected signal: Sysmon Event ID 1: Process Create with Image=mysqldump.exe, CommandLine containing '--all-databases' and '-p'. Sysmon Event ID 3: Network Connection to 127.0.0.1:3306 (or configured MySQL port). Sysmon Event ID 11: File Create for %TEMP%\db_dump_test.sql. Security Event ID 4688 (if command-line auditing enabled) with same process details.
- Test 2SQL Server Schema and User Enumeration via sqlcmd
Expected signal: Sysmon Event ID 1: Process Create with Image=sqlcmd.exe, CommandLine containing '-Q' and 'SELECT' and '-S'. Sysmon Event ID 3: Network Connection to localhost:1433. Sysmon Event ID 11: File Create for %TEMP%\sql_enum_test.txt. PowerShell ScriptBlock Logging will not capture this as it is a native executable.
- Test 3PostgreSQL Database Export via pg_dump
Expected signal: Auditd process execution event for pg_dump with arguments. Syslog entry from PostgreSQL server: connection received from 127.0.0.1, authentication succeeded for user 'postgres'. Network socket activity on TCP 5432. File creation of /tmp/pg_dump_test.backup. If Sysmon for Linux is deployed: Event ID 1 with Image=pg_dump and full CommandLine.
- Test 4Simulated Adminer Webshell Database Access (PowerShell Mimicry)
Expected signal: Sysmon Event ID 1: Process Create with Image=mysql.exe, ParentImage=powershell.exe (in production this would be w3wp.exe or php.exe). CommandLine contains '-e' and 'SELECT'. Sysmon Event ID 3: Network connection to 127.0.0.1:3306 from mysql.exe.
References (10)
- https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1213/006/
- https://cloud.google.com/blog/topics/threat-intelligence/unc5537-snowflake-data-theft-extortion
- https://www.mandiant.com/resources/blog/fin6-cybercrime-group-expands-threat-financial-sector
- https://www.welivesecurity.com/en/eset-research/evasive-panda-apt-group-targets-china-leveled-government-agencies/
- https://hunt.io/blog/sea-turtle-cyberattack-targets-dutch-it-and-telecom-companies
- https://www.anssi.fr/en/actualite-de-lANSSI/sandworm-intrusion-set-campaign-targeting-centreon-systems
- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/threat-detection-overview
- https://docs.snowflake.com/en/user-guide/access-history
- https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/master/atomics/T1213.006/T1213.006.md
- https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/security/current/database-content-discovery-via-adminer.html
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