Detection: Windows Credential Dumping LSASS Memory Createdump

Description

The following analytic detects the use of CreateDump.exe to perform a process dump. This binary is not native to Windows and is often introduced by third-party applications, including PowerShell 7. The detection leverages data from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agents, focusing on process names, GUIDs, and complete command-line executions. This activity is significant as it may indicate an attempt to dump LSASS memory, which can be used to extract credentials. If confirmed malicious, this could lead to unauthorized access and lateral movement within the network.

Search

1
2| tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime from datamodel=Endpoint.Processes where Processes.process_name=createdump.exe OR Processes.original_file_name="FX_VER_INTERNALNAME_STR" Processes.process="*-u *" AND Processes.process="*-f *" by Processes.dest Processes.user Processes.parent_process_name Processes.process_name Processes.process Processes.process_id Processes.parent_process_id 
3| `drop_dm_object_name(Processes)` 
4| `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` 
5| `security_content_ctime(lastTime)` 
6| `windows_credential_dumping_lsass_memory_createdump_filter`

Data Source

Name	Platform	Sourcetype	Source
CrowdStrike ProcessRollup2	N/A	'crowdstrike:events:sensor'	'crowdstrike'
Sysmon EventID 1	Windows	'xmlwineventlog'	'XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational'
Windows Event Log Security 4688	Windows	'xmlwineventlog'	'XmlWinEventLog:Security'

Macros Used

Annotations

Default Configuration

This detection is configured by default in Splunk Enterprise Security to run with the following settings:

Implementation

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 if an application is dumping processes, filter as needed. Recommend reviewing createdump.exe usage across the fleet to better understand all usage and by what.

Associated Analytic Story

• Compromised Windows Host

• Credential Dumping

Risk Based Analytics (RBA)

References

• https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/master/atomics/T1003.001/T1003.001.md#atomic-test-11---dump-lsass-with-createdumpexe-from-net-v5

Detection Testing

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: GitHub | Version: 5