Unusual DNS Request to Suspicious Top Level Domain

Last updated 19 days ago on 2026-09-18
Created 3 months ago on 2026-07-02

About

This rule detects unusual DNS queries to commonly abused top level domains. Malware authors may use these domains to host command and control infrastructure, exfiltrate data, or to download payloads for later execution.
Tags
Domain: EndpointDomain: NetworkOS: LinuxPlatform: LinuxUse Case: Threat DetectionTactic: Command and ControlTactic: ExfiltrationData Source: Elastic DefendRule Type: ES|QLNoise: HighPerformance: NormalProfile: AggressiveThreat: Suspicious TLDLanguage: esql
Severity
low
Risk Score
21
MITRE ATT&CK™

Command and Control (TA0011)(external, opens in a new tab or window)

Exfiltration (TA0010)(external, opens in a new tab or window)

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

Definition

Integration Pack
Prebuilt Security Detection Rules
Related Integrations

endpoint(external, opens in a new tab or window)

Query
text code block:
FROM logs-endpoint.events.network-* | WHERE host.os.type == "linux" AND event.action == "lookup_requested" AND host.id IS NOT NULL AND host.name IS NOT NULL AND user.name IS NOT NULL AND user.id IS NOT NULL AND process.executable IS NOT NULL AND dns.question.name LIKE "*.*" AND process.executable != "/usr/lib/systemd/systemd-resolved" | EVAL Esql.dns_tld = MV_LAST(SPLIT(TO_LOWER(dns.question.name), ".")) | WHERE Esql.dns_tld IN ( "forum", "pro", "team", "lol", "kr", "ke", "nu", "space", "capital", "in", "cfd", "online", "ru", "info", "top", "buzz", "xyz", "rest", "ml", "cf", "gq", "ga", "onion", "network", "monster", "marketing", "cyou", "quest", "cc", "bar", "click", "cam", "surf", "tk", "shop", "club", "icu", "pw", "ws", "fun", "life", "boats", "store", "hair", "mom", "beauty", "bond", "biz", "live", "zone" ) | STATS Esql.first_time_seen = MIN(@timestamp) BY host.id, host.name, user.name, user.id, process.executable, dns.question.name, data_stream.namespace // New terms emulation: alert when the tuple was first seen recently within the 5-day history. | EVAL Esql.recent_minutes = DATE_DIFF("minute", Esql.first_time_seen, NOW()) | WHERE Esql.recent_minutes <= 6 | KEEP host.id, host.name, user.name, user.id, process.executable, dns.question.name, data_stream.namespace

Install detection rules in Elastic Security

Detect Unusual DNS Request to Suspicious Top Level Domain 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(external, opens in a new tab or window).