title: XSL Script Processing
id: 05c36dd6-79d6-4a9a-97da-3db20298ab2d
status: test
description: Extensible Stylesheet Language (XSL) files are commonly used to describe the processing and rendering of data within XML files. Rule detects when adversaries abuse this functionality to execute arbitrary files while potentially bypassing application whitelisting defenses.
author: Timur Zinniatullin, oscd.community
references:
  - https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/master/atomics/T1220/T1220.md
date: 2019/10/21
modified: 2021/11/29
logsource:
  category: process_creation
  product: windows
detection:
  selection:
    - Image|endswith: '\wmic.exe'
      CommandLine|contains: '/format'     # wmic process list /FORMAT /?
    - Image|endswith: '\msxsl.exe'
  false_positives:
    CommandLine|contains:
      - '/Format:List'
      - '/Format:htable'
      - '/Format:hform'
      - '/Format:table'
      - '/Format:mof'
      - '/Format:value'
      - '/Format:rawxml'
      - '/Format:xml'
      - '/Format:csv'
  condition: selection and not false_positives
falsepositives:
  - WMIC.exe FP depend on scripts and administrative methods used in the monitored environment.
  - msxsl.exe is not installed by default, so unlikely.
  - Static format arguments - https://petri.com/command-line-wmi-part-3
level: medium
tags:
  - attack.defense_evasion
  - attack.t1220
