Common Ransomware Extensions

Original Source: [splunk source]
Name:Common Ransomware Extensions
id:a9e5c5db-db11-43ca-86a8-c852d1b2c0ec
version:16
date:2025-10-01
author:David Dorsey, Michael Haag, Splunk, Steven Dick
status:production
type:TTP
Description:The following analytic detects modifications to files with extensions commonly associated with ransomware. It leverages the Endpoint.Filesystem data model to identify changes in file extensions that match known ransomware patterns. This activity is significant because it suggests an attacker is attempting to encrypt or alter files, potentially leading to severe data loss and operational disruption. If confirmed malicious, this activity could result in the encryption of critical data, rendering it inaccessible and causing significant damage to the organization's data integrity and availability.
Data_source:
  • -Sysmon EventID 11
search:| tstats `security_content_summariesonly`
min(_time) as firstTime
max(_time) as lastTime
count latest(Filesystem.user) as user
values(Filesystem.file_path) as file_path
from datamodel=Endpoint.Filesystem by
Filesystem.action Filesystem.dest
Filesystem.file_access_time Filesystem.file_create_time
Filesystem.file_hash Filesystem.file_modify_time
Filesystem.file_name Filesystem.file_path
Filesystem.file_acl Filesystem.file_size
Filesystem.process_guid Filesystem.process_id
Filesystem.user Filesystem.vendor_product
| `drop_dm_object_name(Filesystem)`
| rex field=file_name "(?<file_extension>(\.[^\.]+){1,2})$"
| lookup update=true ransomware_extensions_lookup Extensions AS file_extension OUTPUT
Extensions Name
| search Name !=False
| stats min(firstTime) as firstTime
max(lastTime) as lastTime
dc(file_path) as path_count
dc(file_name) as file_count
values(action) as action
values(file_access_time) as file_access_time
values(file_create_time) as file_create_time
values(file_hash) as file_hash
values(file_modify_time) as file_modify_time
values(file_acl) as file_acl
values(file_size) as file_size
values(process_guid) as process_guid
values(process_id) as process_id
values(user) as user
values(vendor_product) as vendor_product
values(file_name) as file_name
values(file_extension) as file_extension
values(Name) as Name
by dest
| where path_count > 1 OR file_count > 20
| `common_ransomware_extensions_filter`


how_to_implement:You must be ingesting data that records the filesystem activity from your hosts to populate the Endpoint Filesystem data model node. To see the additional metadata, add the following fields, if not already present, please review the detailed documentation on how to create a new field within Incident Review
known_false_positives:It is possible for a legitimate file with these extensions to be created. If this is a true ransomware attack, there will be a large number of files created with these extensions.
References:
  -https://github.com/splunk/security_content/issues/2448
drilldown_searches:
name:'View the detection results for "$dest$"'
search:'%original_detection_search% | search dest = "$dest$"'
earliest_offset:'$info_min_time$'
latest_offset:'$info_max_time$'
name:'View risk events for the last 7 days for "$dest$"'
search:'| from datamodel Risk.All_Risk | search normalized_risk_object IN ("$dest$") starthoursago=168 | stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime values(search_name) as "Search Name" values(risk_message) as "Risk Message" values(analyticstories) as "Analytic Stories" values(annotations._all) as "Annotations" values(annotations.mitre_attack.mitre_tactic) as "ATT&CK Tactics" by normalized_risk_object | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`'
earliest_offset:'$info_min_time$'
latest_offset:'$info_max_time$'
tags:
  analytic_story:
    - 'Rhysida Ransomware'
    - 'Prestige Ransomware'
    - 'Ransomware'
    - 'LockBit Ransomware'
    - 'Medusa Ransomware'
    - 'SamSam Ransomware'
    - 'Clop Ransomware'
    - 'Ryuk Ransomware'
    - 'Black Basta Ransomware'
    - 'Termite Ransomware'
    - 'Interlock Ransomware'
    - 'NailaoLocker Ransomware'
  asset_type:Endpoint
  mitre_attack_id:
    - 'T1485'
  product:
    - 'Splunk Enterprise'
    - 'Splunk Enterprise Security'
    - 'Splunk Cloud'
  security_domain:endpoint

tests:
name:'True Positive Test'
 attack_data:
  data: https://media.githubusercontent.com/media/splunk/attack_data/master/datasets/attack_techniques/T1485/ransomware_notes/ransom-sysmon.log
  source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational
  sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog
manual_test:None