Windows File and Directory Permissions Enable Inheritance

Original Source: [splunk source]
Name:Windows File and Directory Permissions Enable Inheritance
id:0247f90a-aca4-47b2-a94d-e30f445d7b41
version:1
date:2024-12-13
author:Teoderick Contreras, Splunk
status:production
type:Hunting
Description:The following analytic detects the enabling of permission inheritance using ICACLS. This analytic identifies instances where ICACLS commands are used to enable permission inheritance on files or directories. The /inheritance:e flag, which restores inherited permissions from a parent directory, is monitored to detect changes that might reapply broader access control settings. Enabling inheritance can indicate legitimate administrative actions but may also signal attempts to override restrictive custom permissions, potentially exposing sensitive files to unauthorized access.
Data_source:
  • -Sysmon EventID 1
  • -Windows Event Log Security 4688
search:| tstats `security_content_summariesonly` min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime from datamodel=Endpoint.Processes where Processes.process_name IN( "icacls.exe", "cacls.exe", "xcacls.exe") AND Processes.process = "*/inheritance:e*" by Processes.parent_process_name Processes.parent_process Processes.process_name Processes.process Processes.process_guid Processes.dest Processes.user
| `drop_dm_object_name(Processes)`
| `security_content_ctime(firstTime)`
| `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`
| `windows_file_and_directory_permissions_enable_inheritance_filter`


how_to_implement:The detection is based on data that originates from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agents. These agents are designed to provide security-related telemetry from the endpoints where the agent is installed. To implement this search, you must ingest logs that contain the process GUID, process name, and parent process. Additionally, you must ingest complete command-line executions. These logs must be processed using the appropriate Splunk Technology Add-ons that are specific to the EDR product. The logs must also be mapped to the `Processes` node of the `Endpoint` data model. Use the Splunk Common Information Model (CIM) to normalize the field names and speed up the data modeling process.
known_false_positives:Administrators or administrative scripts may use this application. Filter as needed.
References:
  -https://www.splunk.com/en_us/blog/security/-applocker-rules-as-defense-evasion-complete-analysis.html
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 ("$dest$") 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:
    - 'Crypto Stealer'
  asset_type:Endpoint
  mitre_attack_id:
    - 'T1222.001'
  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/T1222.001/icacls_inheritance/icacls_process_1.log
  source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational
  sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog
manual_test:None

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