Windows AppLocker Block Events

Name:Windows AppLocker Block Events
id:e369afe8-cd35-47a3-9c1e-d813efc1f7dd
version:9
date:2026-04-15
author:Michael Haag, Splunk
status:production
type:Anomaly
Description:The following analytic detects attempts to bypass application restrictions by identifying Windows AppLocker policy violations. It leverages Windows AppLocker event logs, specifically EventCodes 8007, 8004, 8022, 8025, 8029, and 8040, to pinpoint blocked actions. This activity is significant for a SOC as it highlights potential unauthorized application executions, which could indicate malicious intent or policy circumvention. If confirmed malicious, this activity could allow an attacker to execute unauthorized applications, potentially leading to further system compromise or data exfiltration.
Data_source:

search:`applocker` EventCode IN (8007, 8004, 8022, 8025, 8029, 8040)

| spath input=UserData_Xml

| rename RuleAndFileData.* as *, TargetUser as user, Computer as dest

| stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime
BY dest, PolicyName, RuleId,
user, TargetProcessId, FilePath,
FullFilePath, EventCode

| lookup applockereventcodes EventCode OUTPUT Description

| `security_content_ctime(firstTime)`

| `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`

| `windows_applocker_block_events_filter`

how_to_implement:To implement this analytic, you must be ingesting Windows AppLocker logs into Splunk. Ensure proper logging is setup for AppLocker and data is being ingested into Splunk.
known_false_positives:Administrators may legitimately use AppLocker to allow applications.
References:
  -https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1218
  -https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/application-security/application-control/windows-defender-application-control/applocker/using-event-viewer-with-applocker
  -https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/application-security/application-control/windows-defender-application-control/operations/querying-application-control-events-centrally-using-advanced-hunting
drilldown_searches:
 name:'View the detection results for - "$dest$"'
 search:'%original_detection_search% | search dest = "$dest$"'
 earliest_offset:'$info_min_time$'
 latest_offset:'$info_max_time$'
 name:'View risk events for the last 7 days for - "$dest$"'
 search:'| from datamodel Risk.All_Risk | search normalized_risk_object IN ("$dest$") | 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:'7d'
 latest_offset:'0'
tags:
  analytic_story:
    - 'Windows AppLocker'
  asset_type:Endpoint
  mitre_attack_id:
    - 'T1218'
  product:
    - 'Splunk Enterprise'
    - 'Splunk Enterprise Security'
    - 'Splunk Cloud'
  security_domain:endpoint
  cve:

tests:
 name:'True Positive Test'
 attack_data:
  data: https://media.githubusercontent.com/media/splunk/attack_data/master/datasets/attack_techniques/T1562/applocker/applocker.log
  sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog
  source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-AppLocker/MSI and Script
manual_test:None