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Description

The following analytic detects the creation of a Windows Service with its binary path located in public directories using Windows Event ID 7045. This detection leverages logs from the wineventlog_system data source, focusing on the ImagePath field to identify services installed outside standard system directories. This activity is significant as it may indicate the installation of a malicious service, often used by adversaries for lateral movement or remote code execution. If confirmed malicious, this could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code, maintain persistence, or further compromise the system.

  • Type: TTP

  • Product: Splunk Enterprise, Splunk Enterprise Security, Splunk Cloud

  • Last Updated: 2024-08-16
  • Author: Mauricio Velazco, Splunk
  • ID: 3abb2eda-4bb8-11ec-9ae4-3e22fbd008af

Annotations

ATT&CK

ATT&CK

ID Technique Tactic
T1543 Create or Modify System Process Persistence, Privilege Escalation
T1543.003 Windows Service Persistence, Privilege Escalation
Kill Chain Phase
  • Installation
  • Exploitation
NIST
  • DE.CM
CIS20
  • CIS 10
CVE 


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`wineventlog_system` EventCode=7045 ImagePath = "*.exe" NOT (ImagePath IN ("*:\\Windows\\*", "*:\\Program File*", "*:\\Programdata\\*", "*%systemroot%\\*")) 
| stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime by EventCode ImagePath ServiceName ServiceType StartType Computer UserID 
| rename Computer as dest 
| `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` 
| `security_content_ctime(lastTime)` 
| `windows_service_created_within_public_path_filter`

Macros

The SPL above uses the following Macros:

:information_source: windows_service_created_within_public_path_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.

  • EventCode
  • Service_File_Name
  • Service_Type
  • _time
  • Service_Name
  • Service_Start_Type

How To Implement

To successfully implement this search, you need to be ingesting logs with the Service name, Service File Name Service Start type, and Service Type from your endpoints.

Known False Positives

Legitimate applications may install services with uncommon services paths.

Associated Analytic Story

RBA

Risk Score Impact Confidence Message
54.0 90 60 A Windows Service $ServiceName$ with a public path was created on $dest$

: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: 4