Name:Windows EventLog Recon Activity Using Log Query Utilities id:dc167f8b-3f9d-4460-9c98-8b6e703fd628 version:7 date:None author:Nasreddine Bencherchali, Splunk status:production type:Anomaly Description:This analytic detects EventLog reconnaissance activity using utilities such as `wevtutil.exe`, `wmic.exe`, PowerShell cmdlets like `Get-WinEvent`, or WMI queries targeting `Win32_NTLogEvent`. It leverages data from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agents, focusing on process names and command-line arguments. These tools are often used by adversaries to extract usernames, IP addresses, session data, and event information for credential access or situational awareness during lateral movement. While these utilities are legitimate, execution with specific arguments or targeting sensitive logs like `Security`, `PowerShell`, or specific EventIDs (e.g., 4624, 4778) can indicate malicious intent. If confirmed malicious, this behavior could allow an attacker to extract sensitive info and potentially have leveraged access or move laterally.
Data_source:
-Sysmon EventID 1
-Windows Event Log Security 4688
-CrowdStrike ProcessRollup2
search:| tstats `security_content_summariesonly` values(Processes.process) as process min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime from datamodel=Endpoint.Processes where ( ( ( Processes.process_name IN ("powershell.exe", "pwsh.exe", "powershell_ise.exe") OR Processes.original_file_name IN ("PowerShell.EXE", "pwsh.dll", "powershell_ise.EXE") ) Processes.process IN ("*Get-WinEvent*", "*Get-EventLog*", "*EventLogQuery*", "*.ReadEvent(*") ) OR ( ( Processes.process_name = wevtutil.exe OR Processes.original_file_name = wevtutil.exe ) Processes.process IN ("* qe *", "* query-events *") ) OR ( ( Processes.process_name = wmic.exe OR Processes.original_file_name = wmic.exe ) Processes.process IN ("*ntevent*") ) OR ( Processes.process="*Win32_NTLogEvent*" Processes.process="*EventCode*" ) OR ( Processes.process IN ("*PsLogList*", "*Eventquery*") ) ) by Processes.action Processes.dest Processes.original_file_name Processes.parent_process Processes.parent_process_exec Processes.parent_process_guid Processes.parent_process_id Processes.parent_process_name Processes.parent_process_path Processes.process Processes.process_exec Processes.process_guid Processes.process_hash Processes.process_id Processes.process_integrity_level Processes.process_name Processes.process_path Processes.user Processes.user_id Processes.vendor_product
