MBCProject-mbc-markdown/micro-behaviors/process/create-process.md

ID	C0017
Objective(s)	Process
Related ATT&CK Techniques	None
Version	2.2
Created	4 December 2020
Last Modified	30 April 2024

Create Process

Malware creates a process.

Methods

Name	ID	Description
Create Process via Shellcode	C0017.001	Malware uses shellcode to create a process.
Create Process via WMI	C0017.002	Malware uses WMI to create a process.
Create Suspended Process	C0017.003	Malware created a suspended process.

Use in Malware

Name	Date	Method	Description
Stuxnet	2010	C0017.002	Stuxnet will use WMI operations with the explorer.exe token in order to copy itself and execute on the remote share. [1]
BlackEnergy	2007	--	BlackEnergy creates a process on Windows. [2]
Dark Comet	2008	--	Dark Comet creates a process on Windows. [2]
Gamut	2014	--	Gamut creates a process on Windows. [2]
GoBotKR	2019	--	GoBotKR creates a process on Windows. [2]
Hupigon	2013	--	Hupigon creates a process on Windows. [2]
Kovter	2016	--	Kovter creates a process on Windows. [2]
Mebromi	2011	--	Mebromi creates a process on Windows. [2]
Redhip	2011	--	Redhip creates a process on Windows. [2]
Redhip	2011	C0017.003	Redhip creates a suspended process. [2]
Shamoon	2012	--	Shamoon creates a process on Windows. [2]
TrickBot	2016	--	TrickBot creates a process on Windows. [2]
TrickBot	2016	C0017.003	TrickBot creates a suspended process. [2]
UP007	2016	--	The malware creates a process on Windows. [2]

Detection

Tool: capa	Mapping	APIs
create process on Windows	Create Process (C0017)	kernel32.WinExec, kernel32.CreateProcess, shell32.ShellExecute, shell32.ShellExecuteEx, advapi32.CreateProcessAsUser, advapi32.CreateProcessWithLogon, advapi32.CreateProcessWithToken, kernel32.CreateProcessInternal, ntdll.NtCreateUserProcess, ntdll.NtCreateProcess, ntdll.NtCreateProcessEx, ntdll.ZwCreateProcess, ZwCreateProcessEx, ntdll.ZwCreateUserProcess, ntdll.RtlCreateUserProcess, System.Diagnostics.Process::Start
create process on Linux	Create Process (C0017)	execve, execl, execlp, execle, execv, execvp, execvpe, posix_spawn, posix_spawnp, popen, fork
execute command	Create Process (C0017)	system, _system, wsystem, _wsystem
create a process with modified I/O handles and window	Create Process (C0017)	kernel32.CreateProcess, kernel32.CreateProcessInternal, advapi32.CreateProcessAsUser, advapi32.CreateProcessWithLogon, advapi32.CreateProcessWithToken, kernel32.GetStartupInfo, System.Diagnostics.Process::Start
create process suspended	Create Process::Create Suspended Process (C0017.003)	kernel32.CreateProcess, advapi32.CreateProcessAsUser

Tool: CAPE	Class	Mapping	APIs
stealth_system_procname	StealthSystemProcName	Create Process (C0017)	ShellExecuteExW, CreateProcessInternalW
stack_pivot	StackPivotProcessCreate	Create Process (C0017)	CreateProcessInternalW, NtCreateUserProcess
wmi	WMICreateProcess	Create Process:Create Process via WMI (C0017.002)	CreateProcessInternalW, NtCreateUserProcess
script_downloader	ScriptCreatedProcess	Create Process (C0017)	CreateProcessInternalW, NtCreateUserProcess

C0049 Snippet

Process::Create Process

SHA256: 465d3aac3ca4daa9ad4de04fcb999f358396efd7abceed9701c9c28c23c126db Location: 0x458C26

lea     param_1, [ebp + 0xfffffeb0]
push    param_1 ; pointer to PROCESS_INFORMATION struct to hold information about the new process
lea     param_1, [ebp + 0xfffffec0]
push    param_1 ; pointer to STARTUPINFO struct
push    0x0     ; path to directory for new process -- if null, use same directory as calling process
push    0x0     ; environment block for new process -- if null, use the calling process's environment block
push    0x4     ; process creation flags (CREATE_SUSPENDED in this case)
push    0x0     ; if heritable handles in the calling process should be inherited by the new process.  If false, inheritance will not occur.
push    0x0     ; security attributes for new process.  If null, child processes cannot inherit thread running new process
push    0x0     ; security attributes for new process.  If null, child processes cannot inherit handle for new process
mov     param_1, dword ptr [ebp + local_8]
call    FUN_00404dfc
push    param_1 ; command line for new process to execute
push    0x0     ; application name to be executed.  If null, use command line provided in another argument
call    KERNEL32.DLL::CreateProcessA    ; Call Windows API function to create new process

References

[1] https://docs.broadcom.com/doc/security-response-w32-stuxnet-dossier-11-en

[2] capa v4.0, analyzed at MITRE on 10/12/2022