Execution of File Written or Modified by PDF Reader

Last updated 4 months ago on 2025-03-20
Created 5 years ago on 2020-09-02

About

Identifies a suspicious file that was written by a PDF reader application and subsequently executed. These processes are often launched via exploitation of PDF applications.
Tags
Domain: EndpointOS: WindowsUse Case: Threat DetectionTactic: ExecutionData Source: Elastic EndgameData Source: Elastic DefendData Source: SysmonLanguage: eql
Severity
high
Risk Score
73
MITRE ATT&CK™

Execution (TA0002)(opens in a new tab or window)

Initial Access (TA0001)(opens in a new tab or window)

License
Elastic License v2(opens in a new tab or window)

Definition

Rule Type
Event Correlation Rule
Integration Pack
Prebuilt Security Detection Rules
Index Patterns
logs-endpoint.events.process-*logs-endpoint.events.file-*winlogbeat-*logs-windows.sysmon_operational-*endgame-*
Related Integrations

endpoint(opens in a new tab or window)

windows(opens in a new tab or window)

Query
sequence with maxspan=2h
  [file where host.os.type == "windows" and event.type != "deletion" and file.extension : "exe" and
     (process.name : "AcroRd32.exe" or
      process.name : "rdrcef.exe" or
      process.name : "FoxitPhantomPDF.exe" or
      process.name : "FoxitReader.exe") and
     not (file.name : "FoxitPhantomPDF.exe" or
          file.name : "FoxitPhantomPDFUpdater.exe" or
          file.name : "FoxitReader.exe" or
          file.name : "FoxitReaderUpdater.exe" or
          file.name : "AcroRd32.exe" or
          file.name : "rdrcef.exe")
  ] by host.id, file.path
  [process where host.os.type == "windows" and event.type == "start"] by host.id, process.executable

Install detection rules in Elastic Security

Detect Execution of File Written or Modified by PDF Reader in the Elastic Security detection engine by installing this rule into your Elastic Stack.

To setup this rule, check out the installation guide for Prebuilt Security Detection Rules(opens in a new tab or window).