Detection Strategy for Obfuscated Files or Information: Binary Padding

Technique Detected:  Binary Padding | T1027.001

ID: DET0553
Domains: Enterprise
Analytics: AN1528, AN1529, AN1530
Version: 1.0
Created: 21 October 2025
Last Modified: 21 October 2025

Analytics

AN1528

Detects the creation or execution of padded binary files (e.g., large size but minimal legitimate content) followed by process execution or lateral movement from the host.

Log Sources
Data Component Name Channel
Process Creation (DC0032) WinEventLog:Security EventCode=4688
File Access (DC0055) WinEventLog:Security EventCode=4663
File Creation (DC0039) WinEventLog:Sysmon EventCode=11
Mutable Elements
Field Description
FileSizeThresholdMB Threshold size in MB to determine suspicious padding
TimeWindow Correlation time window between file creation and execution
UserContext Scope the detection to suspicious or non-standard user accounts

AN1529

Detects abnormal creation of binary files with significant size that are subsequently executed or accessed by non-standard users.

Log Sources
Data Component Name Channel
File Access (DC0055) auditd:SYSCALL open
Process Creation (DC0032) auditd:SYSCALL execve
File Creation (DC0039) linux:osquery file_events
Mutable Elements
Field Description
FileSizeThresholdMB Defines how large a file must be to consider it padded
UserContext Target abnormal user behavior outside of expected automation
TimeWindow Time window for correlating file creation and execution

AN1530

Monitors for anomalous binary files written to disk with padded size and subsequent execution by user or service context.

Log Sources
Data Component Name Channel
Process Creation (DC0032) macos:unifiedlog process:spawn
File Creation (DC0039) fs:fsusage file write
Mutable Elements
Field Description
FileSizeThresholdMB Padded binary threshold for file size
TimeWindow Detection correlation window for execution after file creation
UserContext Filters for specific users or groups such as admin or service accounts