Detection of Native API

Technique Detected:  Native API | T0834

ID: DET0753
Domains: ICS
Analytics: AN1885, AN2138, AN2183, AN2246
Version: 1.0
Created: 21 October 2025
Last Modified: 13 October 2026

Analytics

AN1885

Real-time monitoring identifies a process on an Industrial Control System (ICS) Windows host making direct native Operating System (OS) Application Programming Interface (API) calls that bypass the normal ICS vendor Software Development Kit (SDK) abstraction layer -- direct CreateFile calls against raw device paths, DeviceIoControl calls to ICS hardware driver handles -- from a process not a recognized vendor application. OT operational-fidelity gate: Alert only when execution violates an approved signer/hash/path/parent/process or tool allowlist, or originates from an unauthorized user/tool, and is tied to an OT asset or follow-on OT-relevant action. Suppress vendor-signed software, approved engineering utilities, diagnostics, patching, backup, and documented maintenance.

Log Sources
Data Component Name Channel
OS API Execution (DC0021) edr:Syscall DeviceIoControl or raw socket creation to Industrial Control Systems (ICS) protocol port from process not in authorized ICS applications, bypassing documented vendor Software Development Kit (SDK) call pattern
Mutable Elements
Field Description
AuthorizedICSApplications Allowlist of processes expected to interact with ICS hardware/protocols.

AN2138

Real-time monitoring identifies a process making direct ioctl or mmap syscalls against Industrial Control System (ICS) hardware device files, bypassing the vendor's documented Application Programming Interface (API) layer, from a process not in the recognized ICS application list. OT operational-fidelity gate: Alert only when execution violates an approved signer/hash/path/parent/process or tool allowlist, or originates from an unauthorized user/tool, and is tied to an OT asset or follow-on OT-relevant action. Suppress vendor-signed software, approved engineering utilities, diagnostics, patching, backup, and documented maintenance.

Log Sources
Data Component Name Channel
OS API Execution (DC0021) auditd:SYSCALL Linux Audit SYSCALL/EXECVE/SOCKADDR records (configured audit rule): ioctl or mmap syscall against Industrial Control Systems (ICS) hardware device file from process not in authorized ICS applications
Mutable Elements
Field Description
AuthorizedICSApplications Allowlist of processes expected to interact with ICS hardware/protocols.

AN2183

Use an OT-capable protocol decoder to monitor SNMP requests/responses and identify access to vendor-internal or undocumented OIDs from sources outside the approved NMS inventory, especially SET operations or unusual walks against control-network infrastructure. This is network-protocol observation, not OS API execution; require decoded SNMP transaction content or equivalent packet inspection.

Log Sources
Data Component Name Channel
Network Traffic Content (DC0085) otids:ProtocolDecoder SNMP request/response decoder: OID, operation type, source/destination; flag access to undocumented/vendor-internal OIDs from non-approved NMS sources
Mutable Elements
Field Description
AuthorizedICSApplications Allowlist of processes expected to interact with ICS hardware/protocols.

AN2246

Real-time monitoring identifies Industrial Control System (ICS) protocol messages using vendor-specific or undocumented function codes that access device hardware registers directly rather than through the normal ICS application layer, from a source not in the approved engineering workstation list. OT operational-fidelity gate: Alert only when execution violates an approved signer/hash/path/parent/process or tool allowlist, or originates from an unauthorized user/tool, and is tied to an OT asset or follow-on OT-relevant action. Suppress vendor-signed software, approved engineering utilities, diagnostics, patching, backup, and documented maintenance.

Log Sources
Data Component Name Channel
Network Traffic Content (DC0085) NSM:Content reserved or vendor-specific function code accessing device registers directly from source not in engineering workstation list
Mutable Elements
Field Description
AuthorizedICSApplications Allowlist of processes expected to interact with ICS hardware/protocols.