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Description

The following analytic identifies the use of Ldifde.exe, a command-line utility for creating, modifying, or deleting LDAP directory objects. This detection leverages data from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agents, focusing on process execution and command-line arguments. Monitoring Ldifde.exe is significant because it can be used by attackers to manipulate directory objects, potentially leading to unauthorized changes or data exfiltration. If confirmed malicious, this activity could allow an attacker to gain control over directory services, escalate privileges, or access sensitive information within the network.

  • Type: TTP
  • Product: Splunk Enterprise, Splunk Enterprise Security, Splunk Cloud
  • Datamodel: Endpoint
  • Last Updated: 2024-05-18
  • Author: Michael Haag, Splunk
  • ID: 35cd29ca-f08c-4489-8815-f715c45460d3

Annotations

ATT&CK

ATT&CK

ID Technique Tactic
T1105 Ingress Tool Transfer Command And Control
T1069.002 Domain Groups Discovery
Kill Chain Phase
  • Command and Control
  • Exploitation
NIST
  • DE.CM
CIS20
  • CIS 10
CVE 


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| tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime from datamodel=Endpoint.Processes where Processes.process_name=ldifde.exe Processes.process IN ("*-i *", "*-f *") by Processes.dest Processes.user Processes.parent_process_name Processes.process_name Processes.original_file_name Processes.process Processes.process_id Processes.parent_process_id 
| `drop_dm_object_name(Processes)` 
| `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` 
| `security_content_ctime(lastTime)` 
| `windows_ldifde_directory_object_behavior_filter`

Macros

The SPL above uses the following Macros:

:information_source: windows_ldifde_directory_object_behavior_filter is a empty macro by default. It allows the user to filter out any results (false positives) without editing the SPL.

Required fields

List of fields required to use this analytic.

  • _time
  • Processes.dest
  • Processes.user
  • Processes.parent_process_name
  • Processes.parent_process
  • Processes.original_file_name
  • Processes.process_name
  • Processes.process
  • Processes.process_id
  • Processes.parent_process_path
  • Processes.process_path
  • Processes.parent_process_id

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 may be present, filter as needed.

Associated Analytic Story

RBA

Risk Score Impact Confidence Message
40.0 80 50 An instance of $parent_process_name$ spawning $process_name$ was identified on endpoint $dest$ by user $user$ utilizing ldifde on a domain controller.

:information_source: The Risk Score is calculated by the following formula: Risk Score = (Impact * Confidence/100). Initial Confidence and Impact is set by the analytic author.

Reference

Test Dataset

Replay any dataset to Splunk Enterprise by using our replay.py tool or the UI. Alternatively you can replay a dataset into a Splunk Attack Range

source | version: 2