Name:Windows EventLog Recon Activity Using Log Query Utilities id:dc167f8b-3f9d-4460-9c98-8b6e703fd628 version:1 date:2025-04-23 author:Nasreddine Bencherchali, Splunk status:production type:Anomaly Description:This analytic detects EventLog reconnaissance activity using utilities such as `wevtutil.exe`, `wmic.exe`, PowerShell cmdlets like `Get-WinEvent`, or WMI queries targeting `Win32_NTLogEvent`. It leverages data from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agents, focusing on process names and command-line arguments. These tools are often used by adversaries to extract usernames, IP addresses, session data, and event information for credential access or situational awareness during lateral movement. While these utilities are legitimate, execution with specific arguments or targeting sensitive logs like `Security`, `PowerShell`, or specific EventIDs (e.g., 4624, 4778) can indicate malicious intent. If confirmed malicious, this behavior could allow an attacker to extract sensitive info and potentially have leveraged access or move laterally.
Data_source:
-Sysmon EventID 1
-Windows Event Log Security 4688
-CrowdStrike ProcessRollup2
search:| tstats `security_content_summariesonly` values(Processes.process) as process min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime from datamodel=Endpoint.Processes where ( (Processes.process_name IN ("powershell.exe", "pwsh.exe", "powershell_ise.exe") AND Processes.process IN ("*Get-WinEvent*", "*Get-EventLog*", "*EventLogQuery*", "*.ReadEvent(*")) OR (Processes.process_name=wevtutil.exe Processes.process IN ("* qe *", "* query-events *")) OR (Processes.process_name=wmic.exe Processes.process IN ("*ntevent*")) OR (Processes.process="*Win32_NTLogEvent*" AND Processes.process="*EventCode*") OR (Processes.process IN ("*PsLogList*", "*Eventquery*")) ) by Processes.action Processes.dest Processes.original_file_name Processes.parent_process Processes.parent_process_exec Processes.parent_process_guid Processes.parent_process_id Processes.parent_process_name Processes.parent_process_path Processes.process Processes.process_exec Processes.process_guid Processes.process_hash Processes.process_id Processes.process_integrity_level Processes.process_name Processes.process_path Processes.user Processes.user_id Processes.vendor_product | `drop_dm_object_name(Processes)` | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)` | `windows_eventlog_recon_activity_using_log_query_utilities_filter`
how_to_implement:The detection is based on data that originates from Endpoint Detection
and Response (EDR) agents. These agents are designed to provide security-related
telemetry from the endpoints where the agent is installed. To implement this search,
you must ingest logs that contain the process GUID, process name, and parent process.
Additionally, you must ingest complete command-line executions. These logs must
be processed using the appropriate Splunk Technology Add-ons that are specific to
the EDR product. The logs must also be mapped to the `Processes` node of the `Endpoint`
data model. Use the Splunk Common Information Model (CIM) to normalize the field
names and speed up the data modeling process.
known_false_positives:System administrators or monitoring tools may legitimately use these utilities to gather logs for troubleshooting or auditing. Filter known admin behavior or monitoring solutions as needed.
References: -http://blog.talosintelligence.com/2022/09/lazarus-three-rats.html -https://thedfirreport.com/2023/10/30/netsupport-intrusion-results-in-domain-compromise/ -https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/cybersecurity-advisories/aa23-144a -https://www.group-ib.com/blog/apt41-world-tour-2021/ -https://labs.withsecure.com/content/dam/labs/docs/f-secureLABS-tlp-white-lazarus-threat-intel-report2.pdf -https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.diagnostics/get-winevent -https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.management/get-eventlog -https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/wevtutil drilldown_searches: name:'View the detection results for - "$dest$" and "$user$"' search:'%original_detection_search% | search dest = "$dest$" user = "$user$"' earliest_offset:'$info_min_time$' latest_offset:'$info_max_time$' name:'View risk events for the last 7 days for - "$dest$" and "$user$"' search:'| from datamodel Risk.All_Risk | search normalized_risk_object IN ("$dest$", "$user$") starthoursago=168 | stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime values(search_name) as "Search Name" values(risk_message) as "Risk Message" values(analyticstories) as "Analytic Stories" values(annotations._all) as "Annotations" values(annotations.mitre_attack.mitre_tactic) as "ATT&CK Tactics" by normalized_risk_object | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`' earliest_offset:'$info_min_time$' latest_offset:'$info_max_time$' tags: analytic_story: - 'Windows Discovery Techniques' asset_type:Endpoint mitre_attack_id: - 'T1654' product: - 'Splunk Enterprise' - 'Splunk Enterprise Security' - 'Splunk Cloud' security_domain:endpoint
