Log4Shell-Rex

The following RegEx was written in an attempt to match indicators of a Log4Shell (CVE-2021-44228) exploitation.

The Regex aims being PCRE compatible.

(?:\$|%(?:25)*24|\\(?:0024|0{0,2}44))(?:{|%(?:25)*7[Bb]|\\(?:007[Bb]|0{0,2}173)).{0,30}?((?:[Jj]|%(?:25)*[46][Aa]|\\(?:00[46][Aa]|0{0,2}1[15]2)).{0,30}?(?:[Nn]|%(?:25)*[46][Ee]|\\(?:00[46][Ee]|0{0,2}1[15]6)).{0,30}?(?:[Dd]|%(?:25)*[46]4|\\(?:00[46]4|0{0,2}1[04]4)).{0,30}?(?:[Ii]|%(?:25)*[46]9|\\(?:00[46]9|0{0,2}1[15]1)|ı).{0,30}?(?::|%(?:25)*3[Aa]|\\(?:003[Aa]|0{0,2}72)).{0,30}?((?:[Ll]|%(?:25)*[46][Cc]|\\(?:00[46][Cc]|0{0,2}1[15]4)).{0,30}?(?:[Dd]|%(?:25)*[46]4|\\(?:00[46]4|0{0,2}1[04]4)).{0,30}?(?:[Aa]|%(?:25)*[46]1|\\(?:00[46]1|0{0,2}1[04]1)).{0,30}?(?:[Pp]|%(?:25)*[57]0|\\(?:00[57]0|0{0,2}1[26]0))(?:.{0,30}?(?:[Ss]|%(?:25)*[57]3|\\(?:00[57]3|0{0,2}1[26]3)))?|(?:[Rr]|%(?:25)*[57]2|\\(?:00[57]2|0{0,2}1[26]2)).{0,30}?(?:[Mm]|%(?:25)*[46][Dd]|\\(?:00[46][Dd]|0{0,2}1[15]5)).{0,30}?(?:[Ii]|%(?:25)*[46]9|\\(?:00[46]9|0{0,2}1[15]1)|ı)|(?:[Dd]|%(?:25)*[46]4|\\(?:00[46]4|0{0,2}1[04]4)).{0,30}?(?:[Nn]|%(?:25)*[46][Ee]|\\(?:00[46][Ee]|0{0,2}1[15]6)).{0,30}?(?:[Ss]|%(?:25)*[57]3|\\(?:00[57]3|0{0,2}1[26]3))|(?:[Nn]|%(?:25)*[46][Ee]|\\(?:00[46][Ee]|0{0,2}1[15]6)).{0,30}?(?:[Ii]|%(?:25)*[46]9|\\(?:00[46]9|0{0,2}1[15]1)|ı).{0,30}?(?:[Ss]|%(?:25)*[57]3|\\(?:00[57]3|0{0,2}1[26]3))|(?:.{0,30}?(?:[Ii]|%(?:25)*[46]9|\\(?:00[46]9|0{0,2}1[15]1)|ı)){2}.{0,30}?(?:[Oo]|%(?:25)*[46][Ff]|\\(?:00[46][Ff]|0{0,2}1[15]7)).{0,30}?(?:[Pp]|%(?:25)*[57]0|\\(?:00[57]0|0{0,2}1[26]0))|(?:[Cc]|%(?:25)*[46]3|\\(?:00[46]3|0{0,2}1[04]3)).{0,30}?(?:[Oo]|%(?:25)*[46][Ff]|\\(?:00[46][Ff]|0{0,2}1[15]7)).{0,30}?(?:[Rr]|%(?:25)*[57]2|\\(?:00[57]2|0{0,2}1[26]2)).{0,30}?(?:[Bb]|%(?:25)*[46]2|\\(?:00[46]2|0{0,2}1[04]2)).{0,30}?(?:[Aa]|%(?:25)*[46]1|\\(?:00[46]1|0{0,2}1[04]1))|(?:[Nn]|%(?:25)*[46][Ee]|\\(?:00[46][Ee]|0{0,2}1[15]6)).{0,30}?(?:[Dd]|%(?:25)*[46]4|\\(?:00[46]4|0{0,2}1[04]4)).{0,30}?(?:[Ss]|%(?:25)*[57]3|\\(?:00[57]3|0{0,2}1[26]3))|(?:[Hh]|%(?:25)*[46]8|\\(?:00[46]8|0{0,2}1[15]0))(?:.{0,30}?(?:[Tt]|%(?:25)*[57]4|\\(?:00[57]4|0{0,2}1[26]4))){2}.{0,30}?(?:[Pp]|%(?:25)*[57]0|\\(?:00[57]0|0{0,2}1[26]0))(?:.{0,30}?(?:[Ss]|%(?:25)*[57]3|\\(?:00[57]3|0{0,2}1[26]3)))?).{0,30}?(?::|%(?:25)*3[Aa]|\\(?:003[Aa]|0{0,2}72)).{0,30}?(?:\/|%(?:25)*2[Ff]|\\(?:002[Ff]|0{0,2}57)|\${)|(?:[Bb]|%(?:25)*[46]2|\\(?:00[46]2|0{0,2}1[04]2)).{0,30}?(?:[Aa]|%(?:25)*[46]1|\\(?:00[46]1|0{0,2}1[04]1)).{0,30}?(?:[Ss]|%(?:25)*[57]3|\\(?:00[57]3|0{0,2}1[26]3)).{0,30}?(?:[Ee]|%(?:25)*[46]5|\\(?:00[46]5|0{0,2}1[04]5)).{2,60}?(?::|%(?:25)*3[Aa]|\\(?:003[Aa]|0{0,2}72))(JH[s-v]|[\x2b\x2f-9A-Za-z][CSiy]R7|[\x2b\x2f-9A-Za-z]{2}[048AEIMQUYcgkosw]ke[\x2b\x2f-9w-z]))

Capabilities

By now, this regex should match the exploit, regardless:

Just logged
Case insensitive (also in all supported encodings)
URL Encoded
Recursively URL Encoded
With Unicode encoding
With Octal encoding
Base64 encoded

If this RegEx does not match sth. you have seen in the wild or can show being exploitable, please create an issue.

Screenshot

Test on: regex101.

Hunting on your Linux machine

On the CLI with `grep`

eval "$(./RegEx_Generator.sh)"
grep -P ${Log4ShellRex} <logfile>

grep -P '(?:\$|%(?:25)*24|\\(?:0024|0{0,2}44))(?:{|%(?:25)*7[Bb]|\\(?:007[Bb]|0{0,2}173)).{0,30}?((?:[Jj]|%(?:25)*[46][Aa]|\\(?:00[46][Aa]|0{0,2}1[15]2)).{0,30}?(?:[Nn]|%(?:25)*[46][Ee]|\\(?:00[46][Ee]|0{0,2}1[15]6)).{0,30}?(?:[Dd]|%(?:25)*[46]4|\\(?:00[46]4|0{0,2}1[04]4)).{0,30}?(?:[Ii]|%(?:25)*[46]9|\\(?:00[46]9|0{0,2}1[15]1)|ı).{0,30}?(?::|%(?:25)*3[Aa]|\\(?:003[Aa]|0{0,2}72)).{0,30}?((?:[Ll]|%(?:25)*[46][Cc]|\\(?:00[46][Cc]|0{0,2}1[15]4)).{0,30}?(?:[Dd]|%(?:25)*[46]4|\\(?:00[46]4|0{0,2}1[04]4)).{0,30}?(?:[Aa]|%(?:25)*[46]1|\\(?:00[46]1|0{0,2}1[04]1)).{0,30}?(?:[Pp]|%(?:25)*[57]0|\\(?:00[57]0|0{0,2}1[26]0))(?:.{0,30}?(?:[Ss]|%(?:25)*[57]3|\\(?:00[57]3|0{0,2}1[26]3)))?|(?:[Rr]|%(?:25)*[57]2|\\(?:00[57]2|0{0,2}1[26]2)).{0,30}?(?:[Mm]|%(?:25)*[46][Dd]|\\(?:00[46][Dd]|0{0,2}1[15]5)).{0,30}?(?:[Ii]|%(?:25)*[46]9|\\(?:00[46]9|0{0,2}1[15]1)|ı)|(?:[Dd]|%(?:25)*[46]4|\\(?:00[46]4|0{0,2}1[04]4)).{0,30}?(?:[Nn]|%(?:25)*[46][Ee]|\\(?:00[46][Ee]|0{0,2}1[15]6)).{0,30}?(?:[Ss]|%(?:25)*[57]3|\\(?:00[57]3|0{0,2}1[26]3))|(?:[Nn]|%(?:25)*[46][Ee]|\\(?:00[46][Ee]|0{0,2}1[15]6)).{0,30}?(?:[Ii]|%(?:25)*[46]9|\\(?:00[46]9|0{0,2}1[15]1)|ı).{0,30}?(?:[Ss]|%(?:25)*[57]3|\\(?:00[57]3|0{0,2}1[26]3))|(?:.{0,30}?(?:[Ii]|%(?:25)*[46]9|\\(?:00[46]9|0{0,2}1[15]1)|ı)){2}.{0,30}?(?:[Oo]|%(?:25)*[46][Ff]|\\(?:00[46][Ff]|0{0,2}1[15]7)).{0,30}?(?:[Pp]|%(?:25)*[57]0|\\(?:00[57]0|0{0,2}1[26]0))|(?:[Cc]|%(?:25)*[46]3|\\(?:00[46]3|0{0,2}1[04]3)).{0,30}?(?:[Oo]|%(?:25)*[46][Ff]|\\(?:00[46][Ff]|0{0,2}1[15]7)).{0,30}?(?:[Rr]|%(?:25)*[57]2|\\(?:00[57]2|0{0,2}1[26]2)).{0,30}?(?:[Bb]|%(?:25)*[46]2|\\(?:00[46]2|0{0,2}1[04]2)).{0,30}?(?:[Aa]|%(?:25)*[46]1|\\(?:00[46]1|0{0,2}1[04]1))|(?:[Nn]|%(?:25)*[46][Ee]|\\(?:00[46][Ee]|0{0,2}1[15]6)).{0,30}?(?:[Dd]|%(?:25)*[46]4|\\(?:00[46]4|0{0,2}1[04]4)).{0,30}?(?:[Ss]|%(?:25)*[57]3|\\(?:00[57]3|0{0,2}1[26]3))|(?:[Hh]|%(?:25)*[46]8|\\(?:00[46]8|0{0,2}1[15]0))(?:.{0,30}?(?:[Tt]|%(?:25)*[57]4|\\(?:00[57]4|0{0,2}1[26]4))){2}.{0,30}?(?:[Pp]|%(?:25)*[57]0|\\(?:00[57]0|0{0,2}1[26]0))(?:.{0,30}?(?:[Ss]|%(?:25)*[57]3|\\(?:00[57]3|0{0,2}1[26]3)))?).{0,30}?(?::|%(?:25)*3[Aa]|\\(?:003[Aa]|0{0,2}72)).{0,30}?(?:\/|%(?:25)*2[Ff]|\\(?:002[Ff]|0{0,2}57)|\${)|(?:[Bb]|%(?:25)*[46]2|\\(?:00[46]2|0{0,2}1[04]2)).{0,30}?(?:[Aa]|%(?:25)*[46]1|\\(?:00[46]1|0{0,2}1[04]1)).{0,30}?(?:[Ss]|%(?:25)*[57]3|\\(?:00[57]3|0{0,2}1[26]3)).{0,30}?(?:[Ee]|%(?:25)*[46]5|\\(?:00[46]5|0{0,2}1[04]5)).{2,60}?(?::|%(?:25)*3[Aa]|\\(?:003[Aa]|0{0,2}72))(JH[s-v]|[\x2b\x2f-9A-Za-z][CSiy]R7|[\x2b\x2f-9A-Za-z]{2}[048AEIMQUYcgkosw]ke[\x2b\x2f-9w-z]))' <logfile>

Combine it with `find` to recursively scan a (sub-)folder of log files

eval "$(./RegEx_Generator.sh)"
find /var/log -name "*.log" | xargs grep -P ${Log4ShellRex}

find /var/log -name "*.log" | xargs grep -P '(?:\$|%(?:25)*24|\\(?:0024|0{0,2}44))(?:{|%(?:25)*7[Bb]|\\(?:007[Bb]|0{0,2}173)).{0,30}?((?:[Jj]|%(?:25)*[46][Aa]|\\(?:00[46][Aa]|0{0,2}1[15]2)).{0,30}?(?:[Nn]|%(?:25)*[46][Ee]|\\(?:00[46][Ee]|0{0,2}1[15]6)).{0,30}?(?:[Dd]|%(?:25)*[46]4|\\(?:00[46]4|0{0,2}1[04]4)).{0,30}?(?:[Ii]|%(?:25)*[46]9|\\(?:00[46]9|0{0,2}1[15]1)|ı).{0,30}?(?::|%(?:25)*3[Aa]|\\(?:003[Aa]|0{0,2}72)).{0,30}?((?:[Ll]|%(?:25)*[46][Cc]|\\(?:00[46][Cc]|0{0,2}1[15]4)).{0,30}?(?:[Dd]|%(?:25)*[46]4|\\(?:00[46]4|0{0,2}1[04]4)).{0,30}?(?:[Aa]|%(?:25)*[46]1|\\(?:00[46]1|0{0,2}1[04]1)).{0,30}?(?:[Pp]|%(?:25)*[57]0|\\(?:00[57]0|0{0,2}1[26]0))(?:.{0,30}?(?:[Ss]|%(?:25)*[57]3|\\(?:00[57]3|0{0,2}1[26]3)))?|(?:[Rr]|%(?:25)*[57]2|\\(?:00[57]2|0{0,2}1[26]2)).{0,30}?(?:[Mm]|%(?:25)*[46][Dd]|\\(?:00[46][Dd]|0{0,2}1[15]5)).{0,30}?(?:[Ii]|%(?:25)*[46]9|\\(?:00[46]9|0{0,2}1[15]1)|ı)|(?:[Dd]|%(?:25)*[46]4|\\(?:00[46]4|0{0,2}1[04]4)).{0,30}?(?:[Nn]|%(?:25)*[46][Ee]|\\(?:00[46][Ee]|0{0,2}1[15]6)).{0,30}?(?:[Ss]|%(?:25)*[57]3|\\(?:00[57]3|0{0,2}1[26]3))|(?:[Nn]|%(?:25)*[46][Ee]|\\(?:00[46][Ee]|0{0,2}1[15]6)).{0,30}?(?:[Ii]|%(?:25)*[46]9|\\(?:00[46]9|0{0,2}1[15]1)|ı).{0,30}?(?:[Ss]|%(?:25)*[57]3|\\(?:00[57]3|0{0,2}1[26]3))|(?:.{0,30}?(?:[Ii]|%(?:25)*[46]9|\\(?:00[46]9|0{0,2}1[15]1)|ı)){2}.{0,30}?(?:[Oo]|%(?:25)*[46][Ff]|\\(?:00[46][Ff]|0{0,2}1[15]7)).{0,30}?(?:[Pp]|%(?:25)*[57]0|\\(?:00[57]0|0{0,2}1[26]0))|(?:[Cc]|%(?:25)*[46]3|\\(?:00[46]3|0{0,2}1[04]3)).{0,30}?(?:[Oo]|%(?:25)*[46][Ff]|\\(?:00[46][Ff]|0{0,2}1[15]7)).{0,30}?(?:[Rr]|%(?:25)*[57]2|\\(?:00[57]2|0{0,2}1[26]2)).{0,30}?(?:[Bb]|%(?:25)*[46]2|\\(?:00[46]2|0{0,2}1[04]2)).{0,30}?(?:[Aa]|%(?:25)*[46]1|\\(?:00[46]1|0{0,2}1[04]1))|(?:[Nn]|%(?:25)*[46][Ee]|\\(?:00[46][Ee]|0{0,2}1[15]6)).{0,30}?(?:[Dd]|%(?:25)*[46]4|\\(?:00[46]4|0{0,2}1[04]4)).{0,30}?(?:[Ss]|%(?:25)*[57]3|\\(?:00[57]3|0{0,2}1[26]3))|(?:[Hh]|%(?:25)*[46]8|\\(?:00[46]8|0{0,2}1[15]0))(?:.{0,30}?(?:[Tt]|%(?:25)*[57]4|\\(?:00[57]4|0{0,2}1[26]4))){2}.{0,30}?(?:[Pp]|%(?:25)*[57]0|\\(?:00[57]0|0{0,2}1[26]0))(?:.{0,30}?(?:[Ss]|%(?:25)*[57]3|\\(?:00[57]3|0{0,2}1[26]3)))?).{0,30}?(?::|%(?:25)*3[Aa]|\\(?:003[Aa]|0{0,2}72)).{0,30}?(?:\/|%(?:25)*2[Ff]|\\(?:002[Ff]|0{0,2}57)|\${)|(?:[Bb]|%(?:25)*[46]2|\\(?:00[46]2|0{0,2}1[04]2)).{0,30}?(?:[Aa]|%(?:25)*[46]1|\\(?:00[46]1|0{0,2}1[04]1)).{0,30}?(?:[Ss]|%(?:25)*[57]3|\\(?:00[57]3|0{0,2}1[26]3)).{0,30}?(?:[Ee]|%(?:25)*[46]5|\\(?:00[46]5|0{0,2}1[04]5)).{2,60}?(?::|%(?:25)*3[Aa]|\\(?:003[Aa]|0{0,2}72))(JH[s-v]|[\x2b\x2f-9A-Za-z][CSiy]R7|[\x2b\x2f-9A-Za-z]{2}[048AEIMQUYcgkosw]ke[\x2b\x2f-9w-z]))'

Hunting in your logs using Splunk

You can use this RegEx to search your indexed logs using the | regex SPL command

index=<...> sourcetype=<...>
| regex "<Log4ShellRex>"

index=<...> sourcetype=<...>
| regex "(?:\\$|%(?:25)*24|\\\\(?:0024|0{0,2}44))(?:{|%(?:25)*7[Bb]|\\\\(?:007[Bb]|0{0,2}173)).{0,30}?((?:[Jj]|%(?:25)*[46][Aa]|\\\\(?:00[46][Aa]|0{0,2}1[15]2)).{0,30}?(?:[Nn]|%(?:25)*[46][Ee]|\\\\(?:00[46][Ee]|0{0,2}1[15]6)).{0,30}?(?:[Dd]|%(?:25)*[46]4|\\\\(?:00[46]4|0{0,2}1[04]4)).{0,30}?(?:[Ii]|%(?:25)*[46]9|\\\\(?:00[46]9|0{0,2}1[15]1)|ı).{0,30}?(?::|%(?:25)*3[Aa]|\\\\(?:003[Aa]|0{0,2}72)).{0,30}?((?:[Ll]|%(?:25)*[46][Cc]|\\\\(?:00[46][Cc]|0{0,2}1[15]4)).{0,30}?(?:[Dd]|%(?:25)*[46]4|\\\\(?:00[46]4|0{0,2}1[04]4)).{0,30}?(?:[Aa]|%(?:25)*[46]1|\\\\(?:00[46]1|0{0,2}1[04]1)).{0,30}?(?:[Pp]|%(?:25)*[57]0|\\\\(?:00[57]0|0{0,2}1[26]0))(?:.{0,30}?(?:[Ss]|%(?:25)*[57]3|\\\\(?:00[57]3|0{0,2}1[26]3)))?|(?:[Rr]|%(?:25)*[57]2|\\\\(?:00[57]2|0{0,2}1[26]2)).{0,30}?(?:[Mm]|%(?:25)*[46][Dd]|\\\\(?:00[46][Dd]|0{0,2}1[15]5)).{0,30}?(?:[Ii]|%(?:25)*[46]9|\\\\(?:00[46]9|0{0,2}1[15]1)|ı)|(?:[Dd]|%(?:25)*[46]4|\\\\(?:00[46]4|0{0,2}1[04]4)).{0,30}?(?:[Nn]|%(?:25)*[46][Ee]|\\\\(?:00[46][Ee]|0{0,2}1[15]6)).{0,30}?(?:[Ss]|%(?:25)*[57]3|\\\\(?:00[57]3|0{0,2}1[26]3))|(?:[Nn]|%(?:25)*[46][Ee]|\\\\(?:00[46][Ee]|0{0,2}1[15]6)).{0,30}?(?:[Ii]|%(?:25)*[46]9|\\\\(?:00[46]9|0{0,2}1[15]1)|ı).{0,30}?(?:[Ss]|%(?:25)*[57]3|\\\\(?:00[57]3|0{0,2}1[26]3))|(?:.{0,30}?(?:[Ii]|%(?:25)*[46]9|\\\\(?:00[46]9|0{0,2}1[15]1)|ı)){2}.{0,30}?(?:[Oo]|%(?:25)*[46][Ff]|\\\\(?:00[46][Ff]|0{0,2}1[15]7)).{0,30}?(?:[Pp]|%(?:25)*[57]0|\\\\(?:00[57]0|0{0,2}1[26]0))|(?:[Cc]|%(?:25)*[46]3|\\\\(?:00[46]3|0{0,2}1[04]3)).{0,30}?(?:[Oo]|%(?:25)*[46][Ff]|\\\\(?:00[46][Ff]|0{0,2}1[15]7)).{0,30}?(?:[Rr]|%(?:25)*[57]2|\\\\(?:00[57]2|0{0,2}1[26]2)).{0,30}?(?:[Bb]|%(?:25)*[46]2|\\\\(?:00[46]2|0{0,2}1[04]2)).{0,30}?(?:[Aa]|%(?:25)*[46]1|\\\\(?:00[46]1|0{0,2}1[04]1))|(?:[Nn]|%(?:25)*[46][Ee]|\\\\(?:00[46][Ee]|0{0,2}1[15]6)).{0,30}?(?:[Dd]|%(?:25)*[46]4|\\\\(?:00[46]4|0{0,2}1[04]4)).{0,30}?(?:[Ss]|%(?:25)*[57]3|\\\\(?:00[57]3|0{0,2}1[26]3))|(?:[Hh]|%(?:25)*[46]8|\\\\(?:00[46]8|0{0,2}1[15]0))(?:.{0,30}?(?:[Tt]|%(?:25)*[57]4|\\\\(?:00[57]4|0{0,2}1[26]4))){2}.{0,30}?(?:[Pp]|%(?:25)*[57]0|\\\\(?:00[57]0|0{0,2}1[26]0))(?:.{0,30}?(?:[Ss]|%(?:25)*[57]3|\\\\(?:00[57]3|0{0,2}1[26]3)))?).{0,30}?(?::|%(?:25)*3[Aa]|\\\\(?:003[Aa]|0{0,2}72)).{0,30}?(?:\\/|%(?:25)*2[Ff]|\\\\(?:002[Ff]|0{0,2}57)|\\${)|(?:[Bb]|%(?:25)*[46]2|\\\\(?:00[46]2|0{0,2}1[04]2)).{0,30}?(?:[Aa]|%(?:25)*[46]1|\\\\(?:00[46]1|0{0,2}1[04]1)).{0,30}?(?:[Ss]|%(?:25)*[57]3|\\\\(?:00[57]3|0{0,2}1[26]3)).{0,30}?(?:[Ee]|%(?:25)*[46]5|\\\\(?:00[46]5|0{0,2}1[04]5)).{2,60}?(?::|%(?:25)*3[Aa]|\\\\(?:003[Aa]|0{0,2}72))(JH[s-v]|[\\x2b\\x2f-9A-Za-z][CSiy]R7|[\\x2b\\x2f-9A-Za-z]{2}[048AEIMQUYcgkosw]ke[\\x2b\\x2f-9w-z]))"

Other

Please create a pull request / issue if you can provide syntax for more systems.

Credits

I got help and ideas from:

@cyberops building log4shell-detector that served as an inspiration
@karanlyons providing corpus to test against

back2root / log4shell-rex