Windows Rundll32 Execution With Log.DLL

Original Source: [splunk source]
Name:Windows Rundll32 Execution With Log.DLL
id:f9593331-804c-4268-8b4c-2693c5ae786c
version:1
date:2026-03-13
author:Michael Haag, Splunk
status:production
type:Anomaly
Description:Identifies the execution of rundll32 with a command line argument of "log.dll", as used in the Lotus Blossom Chrysalis backdoor campaign. Attackers placed a malicious "log.dll" in "%AppData%\Bluetooth" and invoked it via rundll32.exe "log.dll,LogInit" to decrypt and execute ShellCode. The legitimate Bitdefender Submission Wizard (BDSubmit.exe, bdsw.exe) also uses log.dll and is vulnerable to DLL sideloading.
Data_source:
  • -Sysmon EventID 1
  • -Windows Event Log Security 4688
  • -CrowdStrike ProcessRollup2
search:| tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime
from datamodel=Endpoint.Processes where
`process_rundll32`
Processes.process="* log.dll*"
by Processes.action Processes.dest Processes.original_file_name Processes.parent_process Processes.parent_process_exec Processes.parent_process_guid Processes.parent_process_id Processes.parent_process_name Processes.parent_process_path Processes.process Processes.process_exec Processes.process_guid Processes.process_hash Processes.process_id Processes.process_integrity_level Processes.process_name Processes.process_path Processes.user Processes.user_id Processes.vendor_product
| `drop_dm_object_name(Processes)`
| `security_content_ctime(firstTime)`
| `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`
| `windows_rundll32_execution_with_log_dll_filter`


how_to_implement:Ingest process creation logs (Sysmon EventID 1 or equivalent) and map them to the Endpoint.Processes data model. Ensure command-line arguments are captured so that "log.dll" appears in the process field. The Splunk Add-on for Microsoft Sysmon and CIM are required.
known_false_positives:Legitimate use of rundll32 to load log.dll from trusted locations may trigger this. Allowlist known paths or parent processes as needed.
References:
  -https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1574/002/
  -https://www.rapid7.com/blog/post/tr-chrysalis-backdoor-dive-into-lotus-blossoms-toolkit/
  -https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G0065/
drilldown_searches:
name:'View the detection results for - "$dest$" and "$user$"'
search:'%original_detection_search% | search dest = "$dest$" user = "$user$"'
earliest_offset:'$info_min_time$'
latest_offset:'$info_max_time$'
name:'View risk events for the last 7 days for - "$dest$" and "$user$"'
search:'| from datamodel Risk.All_Risk | search normalized_risk_object IN ("$dest$", "$user$") 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:
    - 'Lotus Blossom Chrysalis Backdoor'
  asset_type:Endpoint
  mitre_attack_id:
    - 'T1574'
  product:
    - 'Splunk Enterprise'
    - 'Splunk Enterprise Security'
    - 'Splunk Cloud'
  security_domain:endpoint
  cve:

tests:
name:'True Positive Test'
 attack_data:
  data: https://media.githubusercontent.com/media/splunk/attack_data/master/datasets/attack_techniques/T1574.002/lotus_blossom_chrysalis/windows-sysmon.log
  sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational
  source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational
manual_test:None

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