Detect Odbcconf in Google Chronicle
Adversaries may abuse odbcconf.exe to proxy execution of malicious payloads. Odbcconf.exe is a Windows utility that allows configuration of Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) drivers and data source names. Like regsvr32, odbcconf.exe has a REGSVR flag that can be abused to execute DLLs (e.g., odbcconf.exe /S /A {REGSVR "C:\Users\Public\file.dll"}). Since odbcconf.exe is digitally signed by Microsoft, it can bypass application control solutions that allowlist Microsoft-signed binaries. Groups including Cobalt Group, Bumblebee malware, and Raspberry Robin have leveraged this technique for DLL execution.
MITRE ATT&CK
- Tactic
- Defense Evasion
- Technique
- T1218 System Binary Proxy Execution
- Sub-technique
- T1218.008 Odbcconf
- Canonical reference
- https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1218/008/
YARA-L Detection Query
rule t1218_008_odbcconf_proxy_execution {
meta:
author = "df00tech"
description = "Detects abuse of odbcconf.exe for proxy DLL execution via REGSVR flag, remote loading, or suspicious parent-child execution patterns (MITRE T1218.008)"
mitre_attack = "T1218.008"
severity = "HIGH"
confidence = "HIGH"
events:
$e.metadata.event_type = "PROCESS_LAUNCH"
$e.target.process.file.full_path = /(?i)\\odbcconf\.exe$/
(
$e.target.process.command_line = /(?i)REGSVR/
or $e.target.process.command_line = /(?i)https?:\/\//
or $e.target.process.command_line = /\\\\\\\\/
or (
$e.target.process.command_line = /(?i)(Temp|AppData|Downloads|Public|Desktop|ProgramData)/
and $e.principal.process.file.full_path = /(?i)(cmd|powershell|wscript|cscript|mshta)\.exe$/
)
)
condition:
$e
}YARA-L 2.0 rule detecting odbcconf.exe process launches with REGSVR DLL registration abuse, remote HTTP/UNC path DLL loading, or script-interpreter-parented execution loading DLLs from suspicious directories. Maps to MITRE ATT&CK T1218.008.
Data Sources
Required Tables
False Positives & Tuning
- Legitimate ODBC driver registration by enterprise software packages using odbcconf.exe /S /A {REGSVR} against signed DLLs in Program Files
- Database middleware setup tools that invoke odbcconf.exe from cmd.exe or powershell.exe during silent enterprise installations
- Network-shared ODBC driver packages accessed via UNC paths during centralized driver distribution in large Active Directory environments
Other platforms for T1218.008
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 1Odbcconf REGSVR DLL Execution from Temp
Expected signal: Sysmon Event ID 1: odbcconf.exe with REGSVR, /S, and Temp path. Sysmon Event ID 7 (Image Load) for the DLL being loaded by odbcconf. Security Event ID 4688.
- Test 2Odbcconf Launched from PowerShell
Expected signal: Sysmon Event ID 1: powershell.exe then odbcconf.exe with ParentImage=powershell.exe, REGSVR in command line. Both SuspiciousParent and REGSVRFlag fire.
- Test 3Odbcconf Response File Execution
Expected signal: Sysmon Event ID 11: RSP file written to Temp. Sysmon Event ID 1: odbcconf.exe with /S /F and Temp path for the response file. The REGSVR instruction is inside the file, not on the command line.
References (6)
- https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1218/008/
- https://lolbas-project.github.io/lolbas/Binaries/Odbcconf/
- https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/odbc/odbcconf-exe
- https://blog.trendmicro.com/trendlabs-security-intelligence/cobalt-spam-runs-use-macros-cve-2017-8759-exploit/
- https://www.cybereason.com/blog/threat-alert-bumblebee-malware
- https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/master/atomics/T1218.008/T1218.008.md
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