Detection: Windows Get Local Admin with FindLocalAdminAccess

Updated Date: 2024-05-22 ID: d2988160-3ce9-4310-b59d-905334920cdd Author: Gowthamaraj Rajendran, Mauricio Velazco, Splunk Type: TTP Product: Splunk Enterprise Security

Description

The following analytic detects the execution of the Find-LocalAdminAccess cmdlet using PowerShell Script Block Logging (EventCode=4104). This cmdlet is part of PowerView, a toolkit for Windows domain enumeration. Identifying the use of Find-LocalAdminAccess is crucial as adversaries may use it to find machines where the current user has local administrator access, facilitating lateral movement or privilege escalation. If confirmed malicious, this activity could allow attackers to target and compromise additional systems within the network, significantly increasing their control and access to sensitive information.

Search

1`powershell` EventCode=4104 ScriptBlockText = "*Find-LocalAdminAccess*" 
2| stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime by EventCode ScriptBlockText Computer UserID 
3| rename Computer as dest, UserID as user 
4| `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` 
5| `security_content_ctime(lastTime)` 
6| `windows_get_local_admin_with_findlocaladminaccess_filter`

Data Source

Name	Platform	Sourcetype	Source	Supported App
Powershell Script Block Logging 4104	Windows	`'xmlwineventlog'`	`'XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-PowerShell/Operational'`	N/A

Macros Used

Name	Value
powershell	`(source=WinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-PowerShell/Operational OR source="XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-PowerShell/Operational")`
windows_get_local_admin_with_findlocaladminaccess_filter	`search *`

windows_get_local_admin_with_findlocaladminaccess_filter is an empty macro by default. It allows the user to filter out any results (false positives) without editing the SPL.

Annotations

- MITRE ATT&CK

+ Kill Chain Phases

+ NIST

+ CIS

- Threat Actors

ID	Technique	Tactic
T1087	Account Discovery	Discovery
T1087.002	Domain Account	Discovery

KillChainPhase.EXPLOITAITON

NistCategory.DE_CM

Cis18Value.CIS_10

FIN13

APT41

BRONZE BUTLER

Chimera

Dragonfly

FIN13

FIN6

Fox Kitten

Ke3chang

LAPSUS$

MuddyWater

OilRig

Poseidon Group

Sandworm Team

Scattered Spider

ToddyCat

Turla

Volt Typhoon

Wizard Spider

menuPass

Default Configuration

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

Setting	Value
Disabled	true
Cron Schedule	`0 * * * *`
Earliest Time	`-70m@m`
Latest Time	`-10m@m`
Schedule Window	`auto`
Creates Notable	Yes
Rule Title	`%name%`
Rule Description	`%description%`
Notable Event Fields	user, dest
Creates Risk Event	True

This configuration file applies to all detections of type TTP. These detections will use Risk Based Alerting and generate Notable Events.

Implementation

The following Hunting analytic requires PowerShell operational logs to be imported. Modify the powershell macro as needed to match the sourcetype or add index. This analytic is specific to 4104, or PowerShell Script Block Logging.

Known False Positives

Administrators may leverage PowerSploit tools for legitimate reasons, filter as needed.

Associated Analytic Story

Active Directory Discovery

Risk Based Analytics (RBA)

Risk Message	Risk Score	Impact	Confidence
Suspicious PowerShell Find-LocalAdminAccess was identified on endpoint $dest$ by user $user$.	25	50	50

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

References

Detection Testing

Test Type	Status	Dataset	Source	Sourcetype
Validation	✅ Passing	N/A	N/A	N/A
Unit	✅ Passing	Dataset	`XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-PowerShell/Operational`	`xmlwineventlog`
Integration	✅ Passing	Dataset	`XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-PowerShell/Operational`	`xmlwineventlog`

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: 2