Name:WMIC XSL Execution via URL id:787e9dd0-4328-11ec-a029-acde48001122 version:10 date:2025-07-02 author:Michael Haag, Splunk status:production type:TTP Description:The following analytic detects `wmic.exe` loading a remote XSL script
via a URL. This detection leverages Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) data,
focusing on command-line executions that include HTTP/HTTPS URLs and the /FORMAT
switch. This activity is significant as it indicates a potential application control
bypass, allowing adversaries to execute JScript or VBScript within an XSL file.
If confirmed malicious, this technique can enable attackers to execute arbitrary
code, escalate privileges, or maintain persistence using a trusted Windows tool,
posing a severe threat to the environment.
Data_source:
-Sysmon EventID 1
-Windows Event Log Security 4688
-CrowdStrike ProcessRollup2
-Cisco Network Visibility Module Flow Data
search:| tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime from datamodel=Endpoint.Processes where `process_wmic` Processes.process IN ("*http://*", "*https://*") Processes.process="*/format:*" 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 | `drop_dm_object_name(Processes)` | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)` | `wmic_xsl_execution_via_url_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:False positives are limited as legitimate applications typically do not download files or xsl using WMIC. Filter as needed.
References: -https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/master/atomics/T1220/T1220.md -https://web.archive.org/web/20190814201250/https://subt0x11.blogspot.com/2018/04/wmicexe-whitelisting-bypass-hacking.html -https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/master/atomics/T1220/T1220.md#atomic-test-4---wmic-bypass-using-remote-xsl-file -https://securitydatasets.com/notebooks/atomic/windows/defense_evasion/SDWIN-201017061100.html drilldown_searches: name:'View the detection results for - "$user$" and "$dest$"' search:'%original_detection_search% | search user = "$user$" dest = "$dest$"' earliest_offset:'$info_min_time$' latest_offset:'$info_max_time$' name:'View risk events for the last 7 days for - "$user$" and "$dest$"' search:'| from datamodel Risk.All_Risk | search normalized_risk_object IN ("$user$", "$dest$") 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: - 'Compromised Windows Host' - 'Suspicious WMI Use' - 'Cisco Network Visibility Module Analytics' asset_type:Endpoint mitre_attack_id: - 'T1220' product: - 'Splunk Enterprise' - 'Splunk Enterprise Security' - 'Splunk Cloud' security_domain:endpoint
