PowerShell Domain Enumeration

Name:PowerShell Domain Enumeration
id:e1866ce2-ca22-11eb-8e44-acde48001122
version:7
date:2025-02-10
author:Michael Haag, Splunk
status:production
type:TTP
Description:The following analytic detects the execution of PowerShell commands used for domain enumeration, such as `get-netdomaintrust` and `get-adgroupmember`. It leverages PowerShell Script Block Logging (EventCode=4104) to capture and analyze the full command sent to PowerShell. This activity is significant as it often indicates reconnaissance efforts by an attacker to map out the domain structure and identify key users and groups. If confirmed malicious, this behavior could lead to further targeted attacks, privilege escalation, and unauthorized access to sensitive information within the domain.
Data_source:

• -Powershell Script Block Logging 4104

search:`powershell` EventCode=4104 ScriptBlockText IN (*get-netdomaintrust*, *get-netforesttrust*, *get-addomain*, *get-adgroupmember*, *get-domainuser*)
| fillnull
| stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime by dest signature signature_id user_id vendor_product EventID Guid Opcode Name Path ProcessID ScriptBlockId ScriptBlockText
| `security_content_ctime(firstTime)`
| `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`
| `powershell_domain_enumeration_filter`

how_to_implement:To successfully implement this analytic, you will need to enable PowerShell Script Block Logging on some or all endpoints. Additional setup here https://docs.splunk.com/Documentation/UBA/5.0.4.1/GetDataIn/AddPowerShell#Configure_module_logging_for_PowerShell.
known_false_positives:It is possible there will be false positives, filter as needed.
References:
  -https://docs.splunk.com/Documentation/UBA/5.0.4.1/GetDataIn/AddPowerShell#Configure_module_logging_for_PowerShell.
  -https://blog.palantir.com/tampering-with-windows-event-tracing-background-offense-and-defense-4be7ac62ac63
  -https://static1.squarespace.com/static/552092d5e4b0661088167e5c/t/59c1814829f18782e24f1fe2/1505853768977/Windows+PowerShell+Logging+Cheat+Sheet+ver+Sept+2017+v2.1.pdf
  -https://www.crowdstrike.com/blog/investigating-powershell-command-and-script-logging/
  -https://www.splunk.com/en_us/blog/security/hunting-for-malicious-powershell-using-script-block-logging.html
drilldown_searches:
 name:'View the detection results for - "$dest$" and "$user_id$"'
 search:'%original_detection_search% | search dest = "$dest$" user_id = "$user_id$"'
 earliest_offset:'$info_min_time$'
 latest_offset:'$info_max_time$'
 name:'View risk events for the last 7 days for - "$dest$" and "$user_id$"'
 search:'| from datamodel Risk.All_Risk | search normalized_risk_object IN ("$dest$", "$user_id$") 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:
    - 'Hermetic Wiper'
    - 'Malicious PowerShell'
    - 'CISA AA23-347A'
    - 'Data Destruction'
  asset_type:Endpoint
  mitre_attack_id:
    - 'T1059.001'
  product:
    - 'Splunk Enterprise'
    - 'Splunk Enterprise Security'
    - 'Splunk Cloud'
  security_domain:endpoint

tests:
 name:'True Positive Test'
 attack_data:
  data: https://media.githubusercontent.com/media/splunk/attack_data/master/datasets/attack_techniques/T1059.001/powershell_script_block_logging/enumeration.log
  source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-PowerShell/Operational
  sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog
manual_test:None