| name | detecting-email-forwarding-rules-attack |
| description | Detect malicious email forwarding rules created by adversaries to maintain persistent access to email communications for intelligence collection and BEC attacks. |
| domain | cybersecurity |
| subdomain | threat-hunting |
| tags | ["threat-hunting","mitre-attack","email-forwarding","persistence","bec","t1114","proactive-detection"] |
| version | 1.0 |
| author | mahipal |
| license | Apache-2.0 |
Detecting Email Forwarding Rules Attack
When to Use
- When proactively hunting for indicators of detecting email forwarding rules attack in the environment
- After threat intelligence indicates active campaigns using these techniques
- During incident response to scope compromise related to these techniques
- When EDR or SIEM alerts trigger on related indicators
- During periodic security assessments and purple team exercises
Prerequisites
- EDR platform with process and network telemetry (CrowdStrike, MDE, SentinelOne)
- SIEM with relevant log data ingested (Splunk, Elastic, Sentinel)
- Sysmon deployed with comprehensive configuration
- Windows Security Event Log forwarding enabled
- Threat intelligence feeds for IOC correlation
Workflow
- Formulate Hypothesis: Define a testable hypothesis based on threat intelligence or ATT&CK gap analysis.
- Identify Data Sources: Determine which logs and telemetry are needed to validate or refute the hypothesis.
- Execute Queries: Run detection queries against SIEM and EDR platforms to collect relevant events.
- Analyze Results: Examine query results for anomalies, correlating across multiple data sources.
- Validate Findings: Distinguish true positives from false positives through contextual analysis.
- Correlate Activity: Link findings to broader attack chains and threat actor TTPs.
- Document and Report: Record findings, update detection rules, and recommend response actions.
Key Concepts
| Concept | Description |
|---|
| T1114.003 | Email Forwarding Rule |
| T1114.002 | Remote Email Collection |
| T1098.002 | Additional Email Delegate Permissions |
Tools & Systems
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|
| CrowdStrike Falcon | EDR telemetry and threat detection |
| Microsoft Defender for Endpoint | Advanced hunting with KQL |
| Splunk Enterprise | SIEM log analysis with SPL queries |
| Elastic Security | Detection rules and investigation timeline |
| Sysmon | Detailed Windows event monitoring |
| Velociraptor | Endpoint artifact collection and hunting |
| Sigma Rules | Cross-platform detection rule format |
Common Scenarios
- Scenario 1: BEC actor creating forwarding rule to external email
- Scenario 2: Compromised account with rule deleting security alerts
- Scenario 3: Inbox rule forwarding CEO emails to attacker mailbox
- Scenario 4: OAuth app abuse creating transport rules for data collection
Output Format
Hunt ID: TH-DETECT-[DATE]-[SEQ]
Technique: T1114.003
Host: [Hostname]
User: [Account context]
Evidence: [Log entries, process trees, network data]
Risk Level: [Critical/High/Medium/Low]
Confidence: [High/Medium/Low]
Recommended Action: [Containment, investigation, monitoring]
