Threat Huntmediumtest

EventLog Query Requests By Builtin Utilities

Detect attempts to query the contents of the event log using command line utilities. Attackers use this technique in order to look for sensitive information in the logs such as passwords, usernames, IPs, etc.

Convert In Phoenix Studio

Open this Sigma rule in the converter with the YAML preloaded and ready for backend selection.

Launch

Ali Alwashali, Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems)Created Mon Nov 20Updated Wed Jan 249cd55b6c-430a-4fa9-96f4-7cadf5229e9fwindows

Hunting Hypothesis

Log Source

WindowsProcess Creation

ProductWindows← raw: windows

CategoryProcess Creation← raw: process_creation

Events generated when a new process is spawned on the system. Covers command-line arguments, parent/child relationships, and process metadata.

Detection Logic

detection:
    selection_wmi:
        CommandLine|contains|all:
            - 'Select'
            - 'Win32_NTLogEvent'
    selection_wevtutil_img:
        - Image|endswith: '\wevtutil.exe'
        - OriginalFileName: 'wevtutil.exe'
    selection_wevtutil_cli:
        CommandLine|contains:
            - ' qe '
            - ' query-events '
    selection_wmic_img:
        - Image|endswith: '\wmic.exe'
        - OriginalFileName: 'wmic.exe'
    selection_wmic_cli:
        CommandLine|contains: ' ntevent'
    selection_cmdlet:
        CommandLine|contains:
            - 'Get-WinEvent '
            - 'get-eventlog '
    condition: selection_wmi or all of selection_wevtutil_* or all of selection_wmic_* or selection_cmdlet

False Positives

Legitimate log access by administrators or troubleshooting tools

References

MITRE ATT&CK

Tactics

TA0006 · Credential Access

Techniques

T1552 · Unsecured Credentials

Other

detection.threat-hunting

Related Rules

DerivedDetectionmedium

Potentially Suspicious EventLog Recon Activity Using Log Query Utilities

Detects execution of different log query utilities and commands to search and dump the content of specific event logs or look for specific event IDs. This technique is used by threat actors in order to extract sensitive information from events logs such as usernames, IP addresses, hostnames, etc.

This rule was derived from the related rule - both detect similar activity with different scope.

Rule Metadata

Rule ID

9cd55b6c-430a-4fa9-96f4-7cadf5229e9f

Status

test

Level

medium

Type

Threat Hunt

Created

Mon Nov 20

Modified

Wed Jan 24

Author

Ali Alwashali, Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems)

Path

rules-threat-hunting/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_susp_event_log_query.yml

Raw Tags

attack.t1552attack.credential-accessdetection.threat-hunting

View on GitHub