Detect Odbcconf in Microsoft Sentinel
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/
KQL Detection Query
DeviceProcessEvents
| where Timestamp > ago(24h)
| where FileName =~ "odbcconf.exe"
| extend REGSVRFlag = ProcessCommandLine has "REGSVR"
| extend SuspiciousPath = ProcessCommandLine has_any ("Temp", "AppData", "Downloads", "Public", "Desktop", "ProgramData")
| extend RemoteLoad = ProcessCommandLine has_any ("http://", "https://", "\\\\")
| extend SilentFlag = ProcessCommandLine has_any ("/S", "/silent")
| extend SuspiciousParent = InitiatingProcessFileName has_any ("cmd.exe", "powershell.exe", "wscript.exe", "cscript.exe", "mshta.exe")
| where REGSVRFlag or RemoteLoad or (SuspiciousPath and SuspiciousParent)
| project Timestamp, DeviceName, AccountName, ProcessCommandLine, InitiatingProcessFileName,
InitiatingProcessCommandLine, REGSVRFlag, SuspiciousPath, RemoteLoad, SilentFlag, SuspiciousParent
| sort by Timestamp descDetects odbcconf.exe abuse focused on the REGSVR flag pattern used for DLL execution, remote content loading, and DLL loading from user-writable directories with suspicious parent processes. The REGSVR flag combined with any path outside System32 is a high-confidence indicator.
Data Sources
Required Tables
False Positives & Tuning
- Legitimate ODBC driver installation procedures that use odbcconf.exe /A {REGSVR ...} to register ODBC drivers from vendor paths
- Database connectivity software (Oracle, SQL Server, MySQL) that registers ODBC drivers via odbcconf.exe during installation
- IT administration scripts that configure ODBC data sources for database applications
- Enterprise applications with custom ODBC drivers that register them via odbcconf.exe
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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