#!/usr/bin/env python3
"""Process hollowing (T1055.012) detection agent.
Detects hollowed processes by analyzing Sysmon events for suspended process
creation, memory allocation in remote processes, and thread hijacking.
"""
import argparse
import json
import re
from datetime import datetime
try:
import Evtx.Evtx as evtx
except ImportError:
evtx = None
COMMONLY_HOLLOWED = {
"svchost.exe", "explorer.exe", "notepad.exe", "calc.exe",
"dllhost.exe", "regsvr32.exe", "RuntimeBroker.exe",
}
SUSPICIOUS_PARENT_CHILD = [
("cmd.exe", "svchost.exe"), ("powershell.exe", "svchost.exe"),
("wscript.exe", "svchost.exe"), ("mshta.exe", "svchost.exe"),
("winword.exe", "svchost.exe"), ("excel.exe", "svchost.exe"),
]
def detect_hollowing_sysmon(filepath):
if evtx is None:
return {"error": "python-evtx not installed: pip install python-evtx"}
findings = []
with evtx.Evtx(filepath) as log:
for record in log.records():
xml = record.xml()
eid_match = re.search(r']*>(\d+)', xml)
if not eid_match:
continue
eid = int(eid_match.group(1))
time_match = re.search(r'SystemTime="([^"]+)"', xml)
ts = time_match.group(1) if time_match else ""
if eid == 1:
image = re.search(r'([^<]+)', xml)
parent = re.search(r'([^<]+)', xml)
cmdline = re.search(r'([^<]+)', xml)
if image and parent:
img = image.group(1).rsplit("\\", 1)[-1].lower()
par = parent.group(1).rsplit("\\", 1)[-1].lower()
for sp, sc in SUSPICIOUS_PARENT_CHILD:
if par == sp.lower() and img == sc.lower():
findings.append({
"event_id": 1, "timestamp": ts,
"type": "suspicious_parent_child",
"parent": parent.group(1), "image": image.group(1),
"cmdline": cmdline.group(1)[:200] if cmdline else "",
"severity": "HIGH", "mitre": "T1055.012",
})
if eid == 8:
source = re.search(r'([^<]+)', xml)
target = re.search(r'([^<]+)', xml)
if target:
tgt = target.group(1).rsplit("\\", 1)[-1].lower()
if tgt in COMMONLY_HOLLOWED:
findings.append({
"event_id": 8, "timestamp": ts,
"type": "remote_thread_hollowed_target",
"source": source.group(1) if source else "",
"target": target.group(1),
"severity": "CRITICAL", "mitre": "T1055.012",
})
if eid == 10:
source = re.search(r'([^<]+)', xml)
target = re.search(r'([^<]+)', xml)
access = re.search(r'([^<]+)', xml)
if target and access:
tgt = target.group(1).rsplit("\\", 1)[-1].lower()
mask = access.group(1).lower()
if tgt in COMMONLY_HOLLOWED and mask in ("0x1fffff", "0x1f3fff"):
findings.append({
"event_id": 10, "timestamp": ts,
"type": "full_access_hollowed_target",
"source": source.group(1) if source else "",
"target": target.group(1), "access": mask,
"severity": "CRITICAL", "mitre": "T1055.012",
})
return findings
def main():
parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="Process Hollowing Detector")
parser.add_argument("--sysmon-log", required=True, help="Sysmon EVTX file")
args = parser.parse_args()
findings = detect_hollowing_sysmon(args.sysmon_log)
if isinstance(findings, dict) and "error" in findings:
results = findings
else:
results = {
"timestamp": datetime.utcnow().isoformat() + "Z",
"findings": findings, "total_findings": len(findings),
}
print(json.dumps(results, indent=2))
if __name__ == "__main__":
main()