Suspicious wevtutil Usage: endpointEndpointNoneversion:22
The following analytic detects the usage of wevtutil.exe with parameters for clearing event logs such as Application, Security, Setup, Trace, or System.
It leverages data from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agents, focusing on process names and command-line arguments.
This activity is significant because clearing event logs can be an attempt to cover tracks after malicious actions, hindering forensic investigations.
If confirmed malicious, this behavior could allow an attacker to erase evidence of their activities, making it difficult to trace their actions and understand the full scope of the compromise.
Suspicious Event Log Service Behavior: endpointEndpoint2025-02-10version:6
This search has been deprecated in favour of Windows Event Logging Service Has Shutdown . The following analytic detects the shutdown of the Windows Event Log service using Windows Event ID 1100. This event is logged every time the service stops, including during normal system shutdowns. Monitoring this activity is crucial as it can indicate attempts to cover tracks or disable logging. If confirmed malicious, an attacker could hide their activities, making it difficult to trace their actions and investigate further incidents. Analysts should verify if the shutdown was planned and review other alerts and data sources for additional suspicious behavior.
Windows Event Log Cleared: endpointEndpointNoneversion:21
The following analytic detects the clearing of Windows event logs by identifying Windows Security Event ID 1102 or System log event 104. This detection leverages Windows event logs to monitor for log clearing activities. Such behavior is significant as it may indicate an attempt to cover tracks after malicious activities. If confirmed malicious, this action could hinder forensic investigations and allow attackers to persist undetected, making it crucial to investigate further and correlate with other alerts and data sources.
USN Journal Deletion: endpointEndpointNoneversion:13
The following analytic detects the deletion of the USN Journal using the fsutil.exe utility. It leverages data from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agents, focusing on process execution logs that include command-line details. This activity is significant because the USN Journal maintains a log of all changes made to files on the disk, and its deletion can be an indicator of an attempt to cover tracks or hinder forensic investigations. If confirmed malicious, this action could allow an attacker to obscure their activities, making it difficult to trace file modifications and potentially compromising incident response efforts.
Deleting Shadow Copies: endpointEndpointNoneversion:19
The following analytic detects the deletion of shadow copies using the vssadmin.exe or wmic.exe utilities. It leverages data from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agents, focusing on process names and command-line arguments. This activity is significant because deleting shadow copies is a common tactic used by attackers to prevent recovery and hide their tracks. If confirmed malicious, this action could hinder incident response efforts and allow attackers to maintain persistence and cover their activities, making it crucial for security teams to investigate promptly.
Windows Event Logging Service Has Shutdown: endpointEndpointNoneversion:7
The following analytic detects the shutdown of the Windows Event Log service by leveraging Windows Event ID 1100. This event is logged every time the service stops, including during normal system shutdowns. Monitoring this activity is crucial as it can indicate attempts to cover tracks or disable logging. If confirmed malicious, an attacker could hide their activities, making it difficult to trace their actions and investigate further incidents. Analysts should verify if the shutdown was planned and review other alerts and data sources for additional suspicious behavior.
Windows Eventlog Cleared Via Wevtutil: endpointEndpointNoneversion:8
The following analytic detects the usage of wevtutil.exe with the "clear-log" parameter in order to clear the contents of logs.
Clearing the event logs can be an attempt to cover tracks after malicious actions, hindering forensic investigations.
