Exchange PowerShell Module Usage
Description
The following analytic identifies the usage of Exchange PowerShell modules that were recently used for a proof of concept related to ProxyShell. Adversaries may abuse a limited set of PwSh Modules related to Exchange once gained access via ProxyShell or ProxyNotShell.
Inherently, the usage of the modules is not malicious, but reviewing parallel processes, and user, of the session will assist with determining the intent.
Module - New-MailboxExportRequest will begin the process of exporting contents of a primary mailbox or archive to a .pst file.
Module - New-managementroleassignment can assign a management role to a management role group, management role assignment policy, user, or universal security group (USG).
Module - New-MailboxSearch cmdlet to create a mailbox search and either get an estimate of search results, place search results on In-Place Hold or copy them to a Discovery mailbox. You can also place all contents in a mailbox on hold by not specifying a search query, which accomplishes similar results as Litigation Hold. \ Module - Get-Recipient cmdlet to view existing recipient objects in your organization. This cmdlet returns all mail-enabled objects (for example, mailboxes, mail users, mail contacts, and distribution groups).
- Type: TTP
-
Product: Splunk Enterprise, Splunk Enterprise Security, Splunk Cloud
- Last Updated: 2022-11-21
- Author: Michael Haag, Splunk
- ID: 2d10095e-05ae-11ec-8fdf-acde48001122
Annotations
ATT&CK
Kill Chain Phase
- Installation
NIST
- DE.CM
CIS20
- CIS 10
CVE
Search
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`powershell` EventCode=4104 ScriptBlockText IN ("*New-MailboxExportRequest*", "*New-ManagementRoleAssignment*", "*New-MailboxSearch*", "*Get-Recipient*", "Search-Mailbox")
| stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime by Opcode Computer UserID EventCode ScriptBlockText
| `security_content_ctime(firstTime)`
| `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`
| `exchange_powershell_module_usage_filter`
Macros
The SPL above uses the following Macros:
exchange_powershell_module_usage_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
- ScriptBlockText
- Opcode
- Computer
- UserID
- EventCode
How To Implement
To successfully implement this analytic, you will need to enable PowerShell Script Block Logging on some or all endpoints. Additional setup here https://docs.splunk.com/Documentation/UBA/5.0.4.1/GetDataIn/AddPowerShell#Configure_module_logging_for_PowerShell.
Known False Positives
Administrators or power users may use this PowerShell commandlet for troubleshooting.
Associated Analytic Story
RBA
| Risk Score | Impact | Confidence | Message |
|---|---|---|---|
| 32.0 | 40 | 80 | Suspicious Exchange PowerShell module usaged was identified on $dest$. |
Reference
- https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/exchange/new-mailboxexportrequest?view=exchange-ps
- https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/exchange/new-managementroleassignment?view=exchange-ps
- https://blog.orange.tw/2021/08/proxyshell-a-new-attack-surface-on-ms-exchange-part-3.html
- https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/blog/2021/8/17/from-pwn2own-2021-a-new-attack-surface-on-microsoft-exchange-proxyshell
- https://thedfirreport.com/2021/11/15/exchange-exploit-leads-to-domain-wide-ransomware/
- https://www.cisa.gov/uscert/ncas/alerts/aa22-264a
- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/exchange/new-mailboxsearch?view=exchange-ps
- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/exchange/get-recipient?view=exchange-ps
- https://thedfirreport.com/2022/03/21/apt35-automates-initial-access-using-proxyshell/
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: 5