• Sublime Core Feed
Medium Severity

Suspicious message with unscannable Cloudflare link

Description

This rule detects messages with unscannable links to cloudflare infrastructure with suspicious indicators in the subject or display name from an unsolicited sender.

References

No references.

Sublime Security
Created Nov 22nd, 2023 • Last updated Sep 22nd, 2025
Source
type.inbound
and (
  (
    // few links
    0 < length(body.links) < 20
    // fewer unique root domain links
    and length(distinct(body.links, .href_url.domain.root_domain)) < 10
    // sender domain matches no body domains
    and all(body.links,
            .href_url.domain.root_domain != sender.email.domain.root_domain
    )
  )
  or beta.scan_qr(file.message_screenshot()).found
)

// negate bouncebacks and undeliverables
and not any(attachments,
            .content_type in (
              "message/global-delivery-status",
              "message/delivery-status"
            )
)

// suspicious subject or display name
and (
  regex.icontains(subject.subject,
                  "termination.*notice",
                  "38417",
                  ":completed",
                  "[il1]{2}mit.*ma[il1]{2} ?bo?x",
                  "[il][il][il]egai[ -]",
                  "[li][li][li]ega[li] attempt",
                  "[ng]-?[io]n .*block",
                  "[ng]-?[io]n .*cancel",
                  "[ng]-?[io]n .*deactiv",
                  "[ng]-?[io]n .*disabl",
                  "action.*required",
                  "abandon.*package",
                  "about.your.account",
                  "acc(ou)?n?t (is )?on ho[li]d",
                  "acc(ou)?n?t.*terminat",
                  "acc(oun)?t.*[il1]{2}mitation",
                  "access.*limitation",
                  "account (will be )?block",
                  "account.*de-?activat",
                  "account.*locked",
                  "account.*re-verification",
                  "account.*security",
                  "account.*suspension",
                  "account.has.been",
                  "account.has.expired",
                  "account.will.be.blocked",
                  "account v[il]o[li]at",
                  "activity.*acc(oun)?t",
                  "almost.full",
                  "app[li]e.[il]d",
                  "authenticate.*account",
                  "been.*suspend",
                  "clos.*of.*account.*processed",
                  "confirm.your.account",
                  "courier.*able",
                  "crediential.*notif",
                  "deactivation.*in.*progress",
                  "delivery.*attempt.*failed",
                  "document.received",
                  "documented.*shared.*with.*you",
                  "dropbox.*document",
                  "e-?ma[il1]+ .{010}suspen",
                  "e-?ma[il1]{1} user",
                  "e-?ma[il1]{2} acc",
                  "e-?ma[il1]{2}.*up.?grade",
                  "e.?ma[il1]{2}.*server",
                  "e.?ma[il1]{2}.*suspend",
                  "email.update",
                  "faxed you",
                  "fraud(ulent)?.*charge",
                  "from.helpdesk",
                  "fu[il1]{2}.*ma[il1]+[ -]?box",
                  "has.been.*suspended",
                  "has.been.limited",
                  "have.locked",
                  "he[li]p ?desk upgrade",
                  "heipdesk",
                  "i[il]iega[il]",
                  "ii[il]ega[il]",
                  "incoming e?mail",
                  "incoming.*fax",
                  "lock.*security",
                  "ma[il1]{1}[ -]?box.*quo",
                  "ma[il1]{2}[ -]?box.*fu[il1]",
                  "ma[il1]{2}box.*[il1]{2}mit",
                  "ma[il1]{2}box stor",
                  "mail on.?hold",
                  "mail.*box.*migration",
                  "mail.*de-?activat",
                  "mail.update.required",
                  "mails.*pending",
                  "messages.*pending",
                  "missed.*shipping.*notification",
                  "missed.shipment.notification",
                  "must.update.your.account",
                  "new [sl][io]g?[nig][ -]?in from",
                  "new voice ?-?mail",
                  "notifications.*pending",
                  "office.*3.*6.*5.*suspend",
                  "office365",
                  "on google docs with you",
                  "online doc",
                  "password.*compromised",
                  "periodic maintenance",
                  "potential(ly)? unauthorized",
                  "refund not approved",
                  "report",
                  "revised.*policy",
                  "scam",
                  "scanned.?invoice",
                  "secured?.update",
                  "security breach",
                  "securlty",
                  "signed.*delivery",
                  "statement is ready",
                  "status of your .{314}? ?delivery",
                  "susp[il1]+c[il1]+ous.*act[il1]+v[il1]+ty",
                  "suspicious.*sign.*[io]n",
                  "suspicious.activit",
                  "temporar(il)?y deactivate",
                  "temporar[il1]{2}y disab[li]ed",
                  "temporarily.*lock",
                  "un-?usua[li].activity",
                  "unable.*deliver",
                  "unauthorized.*activit",
                  "unauthorized.device",
                  "undelivered message",
                  "unread.*doc",
                  "unusual.activity",
                  "upgrade.*account",
                  "upgrade.notice",
                  "urgent message",
                  "urgent.verification",
                  "v[il1]o[li1]at[il1]on security",
                  "va[il1]{1}date.*ma[il1]{2}[ -]?box",
                  "verification ?-?require",
                  "verification( )?-?need",
                  "verify.your?.account",
                  "web ?-?ma[il1]{2}",
                  "web[ -]?ma[il1]{2}",
                  "will.be.suspended",
                  "your (customer )?account .as",
                  "your.office.365",
                  "your.online.access"
  )
  or any($suspicious_subjects, strings.icontains(subject.subject, .))
  or regex.icontains(sender.display_name,
                     "Admin",
                     "Administrator",
                     "Alert",
                     "Assistant",
                     "Billing",
                     "Benefits",
                     "Bonus",
                     "CEO",
                     "CFO",
                     "CIO",
                     "CTO",
                     "Chairman",
                     "Claim",
                     "Confirm",
                     "Critical",
                     "Customer Service",
                     "Deal",
                     "Discount",
                     "Director",
                     "Exclusive",
                     "Executive",
                     "Fax",
                     "Free",
                     "Gift",
                     "/bHR/b",
                     "Helpdesk",
                     "Human Resources",
                     "Immediate",
                     "Important",
                     "Info",
                     "Information",
                     "Invoice",
                     '\bIT\b',
                     "Legal",
                     "Lottery",
                     "Management",
                     "Manager",
                     "Member Services",
                     "Notification",
                     "Offer",
                     "Operations",
                     "Order",
                     "Partner",
                     "Payment",
                     "Payroll",
                     "President",
                     "Premium",
                     "Prize",
                     "Receipt",
                     "Refund",
                     "Registrar",
                     "Required",
                     "Reward",
                     "Sales",
                     "Secretary",
                     "Security",
                     "Service",
                     "Signature",
                     "SSA",
                     "Storage",
                     "Support",
                     "Sweepstakes",
                     "System",
                     "Tax",
                     "Tech Support",
                     "Update",
                     "Upgrade",
                     "Urgent",
                     "Validate",
                     "Verify",
                     "VIP",
                     "Webmaster",
                     "Winner",
  )
  or any(body.links, strings.ends_with(.href_url.url, ".exe"))
)

// link can't be scanned due to Cloudflare captcha
and (
  any(body.links,
      (
        strings.icontains(ml.link_analysis(., mode="aggressive").final_dom.display_text,
                          "cloudflare"
        )
        // includes the turnstile CAPTCHA
        or (
          strings.icontains(ml.link_analysis(., mode="aggressive").final_dom.raw,
                            'https://challenges.cloudflare.com/turnstile/'
          )
          // has a short body length indicating the page is gated behind the turnstile instead
          // of just including the turnstile
          and length((
                       ml.link_analysis(., mode="aggressive").final_dom.display_text
                     )
          ) < 200
        )
      )
      and not (
        ( // a Cloudflare error page
          strings.ilike(ml.link_analysis(., mode="aggressive").final_dom.display_text,
                        "*error code*"
          )
          and any(ml.link_analysis(., mode="aggressive").final_dom.links,
                  strings.icontains(.href_url.query_params,
                                    "utm_source=errorcode"
                  )
          )
        ) // a cookie warning mentioning Cloudflare
        or regex.icontains(ml.link_analysis(., mode="aggressive").final_dom.display_text,
                           "cookie.{0,50}Cloudflare"
        )
        or ml.link_analysis(., mode="aggressive").effective_url.domain.root_domain in (
          "marketbeat.com"
        )
      )
  )
  or any(beta.scan_qr(file.message_screenshot()).items,
         .type == "url"
         and (
           strings.icontains(ml.link_analysis(.url, mode="aggressive").final_dom.display_text,
                             "cloudflare"
           )
           // includes the turnstile CAPTCHA
           or (
             strings.icontains(ml.link_analysis(.url, mode="aggressive").final_dom.raw,
                               'https://challenges.cloudflare.com/turnstile/'
             )
             // has a short body length indicating the page is gated behind the turnstile instead
             // of just including the turnstile
             and length((
                          ml.link_analysis(.url, mode="aggressive").final_dom.display_text
                        )
             ) < 200
           )
         )
         and not (
           ( // a Cloudflare error page
             strings.ilike(ml.link_analysis(.url, mode="aggressive").final_dom.display_text,
                           "*error code*"
             )
             and any(ml.link_analysis(.url, mode="aggressive").final_dom.links,
                     strings.icontains(.href_url.query_params,
                                       "utm_source=errorcode"
                     )
             )
           ) // a cookie warning mentioning Cloudflare
           or regex.icontains(ml.link_analysis(.url, mode="aggressive").final_dom.display_text,
                              "cookie.{0,50}Cloudflare"
           )
           or ml.link_analysis(.url, mode="aggressive").effective_url.domain.root_domain in (
             "marketbeat.com"
           )
         )
  )
)
and (
  not profile.by_sender_email().solicited
  or (
    profile.by_sender().any_messages_malicious_or_spam
    and not profile.by_sender().any_messages_benign
  )
)
// negate highly trusted sender domains unless they fail DMARC authentication
and (
  (
    sender.email.domain.root_domain in $high_trust_sender_root_domains
    and not headers.auth_summary.dmarc.pass
  )
  or sender.email.domain.root_domain not in $high_trust_sender_root_domains
)
and not profile.by_sender().any_messages_benign
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