Windows Hidden Schedule Task Settings: endpointEndpointNoneversion:14
The following analytic detects the creation of hidden scheduled tasks on Windows systems, which are not visible in the UI. It leverages Windows Security EventCode 4698 to identify tasks where the 'Hidden' setting is enabled. This behavior is significant as it may indicate malware activity, such as Industroyer2, or the use of living-off-the-land binaries (LOLBINs) to download additional payloads. If confirmed malicious, this activity could allow attackers to execute code stealthily, maintain persistence, or further compromise the system by downloading additional malicious payloads.
W3WP Spawning Shell: endpointEndpoint2025-10-16version:11
The following analytic identifies instances where a shell (PowerShell.exe or Cmd.exe) is spawned from W3WP.exe, the IIS worker process. This detection leverages data from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agents, focusing on process creation events where the parent process is W3WP.exe. This activity is significant as it may indicate webshell activity, often associated with exploitation attempts like those by the HAFNIUM Group on Exchange servers. If confirmed malicious, this behavior could allow attackers to execute arbitrary commands, potentially leading to system compromise, data exfiltration, or further lateral movement within the network.
WinEvent Scheduled Task Created to Spawn Shell: endpointEndpointNoneversion:20
The following analytic detects the creation of scheduled tasks designed to execute commands using native Windows shells like PowerShell, Cmd, Wscript, or Cscript. It leverages Windows Security EventCode 4698 to identify when such tasks are registered. This activity is significant as it may indicate an attempt to establish persistence or execute malicious commands on a system. If confirmed malicious, this could allow an attacker to maintain access, execute arbitrary code, or escalate privileges, posing a severe threat to the environment.
Dump LSASS via procdump Rename: endpointEndpoint2024-11-14version:4
Detect a renamed instance of procdump.exe dumping the lsass process. This query looks for both -mm and -ma usage. -mm will produce a mini dump file and -ma will write a dump file with all process memory. Both are highly suspect and should be reviewed. Modify the query as needed.
During triage, confirm this is procdump.exe executing. If it is the first time a Sysinternals utility has been ran, it is possible there will be a -accepteula on the command line. Review other endpoint data sources for cross process (injection) into lsass.exe.
Detect Webshell Exploit Behavior: endpointEndpoint2025-02-10version:8
The following analytic has been deprecated. The following analytic identifies the execution of suspicious processes typically associated with webshell activity on web servers. It detects when processes like `cmd.exe`, `powershell.exe`, or `bash.exe` are spawned by web server processes such as `w3wp.exe` or `nginx.exe`. This behavior is significant as it may indicate an adversary exploiting a web application vulnerability to install a webshell, providing persistent access and command execution capabilities. If confirmed malicious, this activity could allow attackers to maintain control over the compromised server, execute arbitrary commands, and potentially escalate privileges or exfiltrate sensitive data.
Detect Mimikatz Using Loaded Images: endpointWindows2025-02-10version:4
This search looks for reading loaded Images unique to credential dumping with Mimikatz. Deprecated because mimikatz libraries changed and very noisy sysmon Event Code.
Windows Create Local Administrator Account Via Net: endpointEndpointNoneversion:11
The following analytic detects the creation of a local administrator account using the "net.exe" command. It leverages Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) data to identify processes named "net.exe" with the "/add" parameter and keywords related to administrator accounts. This activity is significant as it may indicate an attacker attempting to gain persistent access or escalate privileges. If confirmed malicious, this could lead to unauthorized access, data theft, or further system compromise. Review the process details, user context, and related artifacts to determine the legitimacy of the activity.
Windows Suspicious Child Process Spawned From WebServer: endpointEndpointNoneversion:12
The following analytic identifies the execution of suspicious processes typically associated with WebShell activity on web servers. It detects when processes like `cmd.exe`, `powershell.exe`, or `bash.exe` are spawned by web server processes such as `w3wp.exe` or `nginx.exe`. This behavior is significant as it may indicate an adversary exploiting a web application vulnerability to install a WebShell, providing persistent access and command execution capabilities. If confirmed malicious, this activity could allow attackers to maintain control over the compromised server, execute arbitrary commands, and potentially escalate privileges or exfiltrate sensitive data.
Dump LSASS via procdump: endpointEndpointNoneversion:20
The following analytic detects the use of procdump.exe to dump the LSASS
process, specifically looking for the -mm and -ma command-line arguments. It leverages
data from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agents, focusing on process names,
command-line executions, and parent processes. This activity is significant because
dumping LSASS can expose sensitive credentials, posing a severe security risk. If
confirmed malicious, an attacker could obtain credentials, escalate privileges,
and move laterally within the network, leading to potential data breaches and further
compromise of the environment.
Windows Sensitive Registry Hive Dump Via CommandLine: endpointEndpointNoneversion:11
The following analytic detects the use of `reg.exe` to export Windows Registry hives, which may contain sensitive credentials. This detection leverages data from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agents, focusing on command-line executions involving `save` or `export` actions targeting the `sam`, `system`, or `security` hives. This activity is significant as it indicates potential offline credential access attacks, often executed from untrusted processes or scripts. If confirmed malicious, attackers could gain access to credential data, enabling further compromise and lateral movement within the network.
WinEvent Scheduled Task Created Within Public Path: endpointEndpointNoneversion:25
The following analytic detects the creation of scheduled tasks within user-writable paths using Windows Security EventCode 4698. It identifies tasks registered via schtasks.exe or TaskService that execute commands from directories like Public, ProgramData, Temp, and AppData. This behavior is significant as it may indicate an attempt to establish persistence or execute unauthorized commands. If confirmed malicious, an attacker could maintain long-term access, escalate privileges, or execute arbitrary code, posing a severe threat to system integrity and security.
Short Lived Scheduled Task: endpointEndpointNoneversion:12
The following analytic detects the creation and deletion of scheduled tasks within a short time frame (less than 30 seconds) using Windows Security EventCodes 4698 and 4699.
This behavior is identified by analyzing Windows Security Event Logs and leveraging the Windows TA for parsing.
Such activity may indicate lateral movement or remote code execution attempts by adversaries.
If confirmed malicious, this could lead to unauthorized access, data exfiltration, or execution of malicious payloads, necessitating prompt investigation and response by security analysts.
Dump LSASS via comsvcs DLL: endpointEndpointNoneversion:17
The following analytic detects the behavior of dumping credentials from memory by exploiting the Local Security Authority Subsystem Service (LSASS) using the comsvcs.dll and MiniDump via rundll32. This detection leverages process information from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) logs, focusing on specific command-line executions. This activity is significant because it indicates potential credential theft, which can lead to broader system compromise, persistence, lateral movement, and privilege escalation. If confirmed malicious, attackers could gain unauthorized access to sensitive information, leading to data theft, ransomware attacks, or other damaging outcomes.
Windows Protocol Tunneling with Plink: endpointEndpointNoneversion:13
This analytic detects the use of Plink (including renamed versions like pvhost.exe) for protocol tunneling, which may be used for egress or lateral movement within an organization. It identifies specific command-line options (-R, -L, -D, -l, -N, -P, -pw) commonly used for port forwarding and tunneling by analyzing process execution logs from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agents. This activity is significant as it may indicate an attempt to bypass network security controls or establish unauthorized connections. If confirmed malicious, this could allow an attacker to exfiltrate data, move laterally across the network, or maintain persistent access, posing a severe threat to the organization's security. The detection covers both the original Plink executable and potential renamed versions, enhancing its ability to catch evasion attempts.
Extraction of Registry Hives: endpointEndpoint2025-02-10version:8
The following analytic has been deprecated. The following analytic detects the use of `reg.exe` to export Windows Registry hives, which may contain sensitive credentials. This detection leverages data from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agents, focusing on command-line executions involving `save` or `export` actions targeting the `sam`, `system`, or `security` hives. This activity is significant as it indicates potential offline credential access attacks, often executed from untrusted processes or scripts. If confirmed malicious, attackers could gain access to credential data, enabling further compromise and lateral movement within the network.
Detect Exchange Web Shell: endpointEndpointNoneversion:16
The following analytic identifies the creation of suspicious .aspx files in known drop locations for Exchange exploitation, specifically targeting paths associated with HAFNIUM group and vulnerabilities like ProxyShell and ProxyNotShell. It leverages data from the Endpoint datamodel, focusing on process and filesystem events. This activity is significant as it may indicate a web shell deployment, a common method for persistent access and remote code execution. If confirmed malicious, attackers could gain unauthorized access, execute arbitrary commands, and potentially escalate privileges within the Exchange environment.
Web or Application Server Spawning a Shell: endpointEndpointNoneversion:5
The following analytic detects instances where Java, or Tomcat
processes spawn a Linux shell, which may indicate exploitation attempts, such as
those related to CVE-2021-44228 (Log4Shell). This detection leverages Endpoint Detection
and Response (EDR) telemetry, focusing on process names and parent-child process
relationships. This activity is significant as it can signify a compromised Java
application, potentially leading to unauthorized shell access. If confirmed malicious,
attackers could execute arbitrary commands, escalate privileges, or maintain persistent
access, posing a severe threat to the environment.
Randomly Generated Scheduled Task Name: endpointEndpointNoneversion:10
The following analytic detects the creation of a Scheduled Task with a high entropy, randomly generated name, leveraging Event ID 4698. It uses the `ut_shannon` function from the URL ToolBox Splunk application to measure the entropy of the Task Name. This activity is significant as adversaries often use randomly named Scheduled Tasks for lateral movement and remote code execution, employing tools like Impacket or CrackMapExec. If confirmed malicious, this could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code remotely, potentially leading to further compromise and persistence within the network.
Detect New Local Admin account: accessWindowsNoneversion:13
The following analytic detects the creation of new accounts elevated to local administrators. It uses Windows event logs, specifically EventCode 4720 (user account creation) and EventCode 4732 (user added to Administrators group). This activity is significant as it indicates potential unauthorized privilege escalation, which is critical for SOC monitoring. If confirmed malicious, this could allow attackers to gain administrative access, leading to unauthorized data access, system modifications, and disruption of services. Immediate investigation is required to mitigate risks and prevent further unauthorized actions.
Creation of lsass Dump with Taskmgr: endpointWindowsNoneversion:15
The following analytic detects the creation of an lsass.exe process dump using Windows Task Manager.
It leverages Sysmon EventID 11 to identify file creation events where the target filename matches *lsass*.dmp.
This activity is significant because creating an lsass dump can be a precursor to credential theft, as the dump file contains sensitive information such as user passwords.
WinEvent Windows Task Scheduler Event Action Started: endpointEndpointNoneversion:13
The following analytic detects the execution of tasks registered in Windows Task Scheduler by monitoring EventID 200 (action run) and 201 (action completed) from the Task Scheduler logs. This detection leverages Task Scheduler logs to identify potentially suspicious or unauthorized task executions. Monitoring these events is significant for a SOC as it helps uncover evasive techniques used for persistence, unauthorized code execution, or other malicious activities. If confirmed malicious, this activity could lead to unauthorized access, data exfiltration, or the execution of harmful payloads, posing a significant threat to the environment.
Create local admin accounts using net exe: endpointEndpoint2025-02-10version:17
The following analytic has been deprecated. The following analytic detects the creation of local administrator accounts using the net.exe command. It leverages Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) data to identify processes named net.exe or net1.exe with the "/add" parameter and keywords related to administrator accounts. This activity is significant as it may indicate an attacker attempting to gain persistent access or escalate privileges. If confirmed malicious, this could lead to unauthorized access, data theft, or further system compromise. Review the process details, user context, and related artifacts to determine the legitimacy of the activity.
Schtasks Run Task On Demand: endpointEndpointNoneversion:11
The following analytic detects the execution of a Windows Scheduled Task on demand via the shell or command line. It leverages process-related data, including process name, parent process, and command-line executions, sourced from endpoint logs. The detection focuses on 'schtasks.exe' with an associated 'run' command. This activity is significant as adversaries often use it to force the execution of their created Scheduled Tasks for persistent access or lateral movement within a compromised machine. If confirmed malicious, this could allow attackers to maintain persistence or move laterally within the network, potentially leading to further compromise.
Log4Shell JNDI Payload Injection Attempt: threatEndpointNoneversion:10
The following analytic identifies attempts to inject Log4Shell JNDI payloads via web calls. It leverages the Web datamodel and uses regex to detect patterns like `${jndi:ldap://` in raw web event data, including HTTP headers. This activity is significant because it targets vulnerabilities in Java web applications using Log4j, such as Apache Struts and Solr. If confirmed malicious, this could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code, potentially leading to full system compromise. Immediate investigation is required to determine if the attempt was successful and to mitigate any potential exploitation.
Scheduled Task Deleted Or Created via CMD: endpointEndpointNoneversion:28
The following analytic detects the creation or deletion of scheduled tasks via schtasks.exe when invoked with create or delete flags, specifically focusing on those executions where the process includes additional parameters such as /tr, /sc, or /ru. The detection uses Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) telemetry mapped to the Endpoint data model, and filters out events originating from trusted system paths like C:\Windows\System32 or C:\Program Files. It further narrows results to cases where schtasks.exe is launched by potentially suspicious parent processes such as cmd.exe, wscript.exe, or cscript.exe, and excludes service accounts. This behavior may indicate adversary efforts to gain persistence or evade detection by manipulating scheduled tasks using scripts or command shells. If confirmed malicious, such activity could lead to unauthorized code execution or the removal of monitoring mechanisms on endpoints.
Windows Possible Credential Dumping: endpointEndpointNoneversion:15
The following analytic detects possible credential dumping by identifying suspicious process access to LSASS with credential-dumping-related call traces.
It leverages Sysmon EventCode 10 and checks for access masks that combine PROCESS_QUERY_LIMITED_INFORMATION (0x1000) and PROCESS_DUP_HANDLE (0x40).
