AdsiSearcher Account Discovery

Original Source: [splunk source]
Name:AdsiSearcher Account Discovery
id:de7fcadc-04f3-11ec-a241-acde48001122
version:4
date:2024-09-30
author:Teoderick Contreras, Mauricio Velazco, Splunk
status:production
type:TTP
Description:The following analytic detects the use of the `[Adsisearcher]` type accelerator in PowerShell to query Active Directory for domain users. It leverages PowerShell Script Block Logging (EventCode=4104) to identify script blocks containing `[adsisearcher]`, `objectcategory=user`, and `.findAll()`. This activity is significant as it may indicate an attempt by adversaries or Red Teams to enumerate domain users for situational awareness and Active Directory discovery. If confirmed malicious, this could lead to further reconnaissance, privilege escalation, or lateral movement within the network.
Data_source:
  • -Powershell Script Block Logging 4104
search:`powershell` EventCode=4104 ScriptBlockText = "*[adsisearcher]*" ScriptBlockText = "*objectcategory=user*" ScriptBlockText = "*.findAll()*"
| stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime by EventCode Computer ScriptBlockText UserID
| rename Computer as dest, UserID as user
| `security_content_ctime(firstTime)`
| `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`
| `adsisearcher_account_discovery_filter`


how_to_implement:The following Hunting analytic requires PowerShell operational logs to be imported. Modify the powershell macro as needed to match the sourcetype or add index. This analytic is specific to 4104, or PowerShell Script Block Logging.
known_false_positives:Administrators or power users may use this command for troubleshooting.
References:
  -https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1087/002/
  -https://www.blackhillsinfosec.com/red-blue-purple/
  -https://devblogs.microsoft.com/scripting/use-the-powershell-adsisearcher-type-accelerator-to-search-active-directory/
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:
    - 'Industroyer2'
    - 'Active Directory Discovery'
    - 'CISA AA23-347A'
    - 'Data Destruction'
  asset_type:Endpoint
  confidence:50
  impact:50
  message:Powershell process having commandline "AdsiSearcher" used for user enumeration on $dest$
  mitre_attack_id:
    - 'T1087.002'
    - 'T1087'
  observable:
    name:'dest'
    type:'Hostname'
    - role:
      - 'Victim'
    name:'user'
    type:'User'
    - role:
      - 'Victim'
  product:
    - 'Splunk Enterprise'
    - 'Splunk Enterprise Security'
    - 'Splunk Cloud'
  required_fields:
    - '_time'
    - 'EventCode'
    - 'Message'
    - 'ComputerName'
    - 'User'
  risk_score:25
  security_domain:endpoint

tests:
name:'True Positive Test'
 attack_data:
  data: https://media.githubusercontent.com/media/splunk/attack_data/master/datasets/attack_techniques/T1087.002/AD_discovery/adsisearcher_powershell.log
  source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-PowerShell/Operational
  sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog
manual_test:None