Browser Process Spawned from an Unusual Parent

Last updated 20 days ago on 2026-04-22
Created 8 months ago on 2025-08-27

About

Identifies instances where a browser is launched with remote debugging, headless automation, or minimal arguments from an unusual parent process. This may indicate an attempt to broker or tamper with a browser session for credential theft.
Tags
Domain: EndpointOS: WindowsUse Case: Threat DetectionTactic: Credential AccessData Source: Elastic EndgameData Source: Elastic DefendData Source: Windows Security Event LogsData Source: Microsoft Defender XDRData Source: SysmonData Source: SentinelOneLanguage: eql
Severity
high
Risk Score
73
MITRE ATT&CK™

Credential Access (TA0006)(external, opens in a new tab or window)

Collection (TA0009)(external, opens in a new tab or window)

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

Definition

Rule Type
Event Correlation Rule
Integration Pack
Prebuilt Security Detection Rules
Index Patterns
endgame-*logs-endpoint.events.process-*logs-m365_defender.event-*logs-sentinel_one_cloud_funnel.*logs-system.security*logs-windows.forwarded*logs-windows.sysmon_operational-*winlogbeat-*
Related Integrations

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

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

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

m365_defender(external, opens in a new tab or window)

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

Query
text code block:
process where host.os.type == "windows" and event.type == "start" and process.name : ("chrome.exe", "msedge.exe") and process.parent.executable != null and ( process.command_line : ( "\"C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft\\Edge\\Application\\msedge.exe\"", "\"C:\\Program Files\\Google\\Chrome\\Application\\chrome.exe\"", "\"C:\\Program Files\\Google\\Chrome\\Application\\chrome.exe\" --headless --disable-logging --log-level=3 --v=0", "\"C:\\Program Files\\Google\\Chrome\\Application\\chrome.exe\" --headless --log-level=3", "\"C:\\Program Files\\Google\\Chrome\\Application\\chrome.exe\" --headless", "\"C:\\Program Files\\Google\\Chrome\\Application\\chrome.exe\" --remote-debugging-port=922? --profile-directory=\"Default\"*", "\"C:\\Program Files\\Google\\Chrome\\Application\\chrome.exe\" --headless --restore-last-session --remote-debugging-port=45452*" ) or (process.args : "--remote-debugging-port=922?" and process.args : "--window-position=-*,-*") ) and not process.parent.executable : ("C:\\Windows\\explorer.exe", "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\*.exe", "C:\\Program Files\\*.exe", "C:\\Windows\\System32\\rdpinit.exe", "C:\\Windows\\System32\\sihost.exe", "C:\\Windows\\System32\\RuntimeBroker.exe", "C:\\Windows\\System32\\SECOCL64.exe")

Install detection rules in Elastic Security

Detect Browser Process Spawned from an Unusual Parent 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).