Windows Schtasks Create Run As System
Description
The following analytic detects the creation of a new scheduled task using Schtasks.exe to run as the SYSTEM user. This detection leverages data from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agents, focusing on command-line executions and process details. This activity is significant as it often indicates an attempt to gain elevated privileges or maintain persistence within the environment. If confirmed malicious, an attacker could execute code with SYSTEM-level privileges, potentially leading to data theft, ransomware deployment, or further system compromise. Immediate investigation and mitigation are crucial to prevent further damage.
- Type: TTP
- Product: Splunk Enterprise, Splunk Enterprise Security, Splunk Cloud
- Datamodel: Endpoint
- Last Updated: 2024-05-12
- Author: Michael Haag, Splunk
- ID: 41a0e58e-884c-11ec-9976-acde48001122
Annotations
ATT&CK
Kill Chain Phase
- Installation
- Exploitation
NIST
- DE.CM
CIS20
- CIS 10
CVE
Search
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| tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime from datamodel=Endpoint.Processes where `process_schtasks` Processes.process="*/create *" AND Processes.process="*/ru *" AND Processes.process="*system*" 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_schtasks_create_run_as_system_filter`
Macros
The SPL above uses the following Macros:
windows_schtasks_create_run_as_system_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 will be limited to legitimate applications creating a task to run as SYSTEM. Filter as needed based on parent process, or modify the query to have world writeable paths to restrict it.
Associated Analytic Story
RBA
Risk Score | Impact | Confidence | Message |
---|---|---|---|
48.0 | 80 | 60 | An $process_name$ was created on endpoint $dest$ attempting to spawn as SYSTEM. |
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
- https://pentestlab.blog/2019/11/04/persistence-scheduled-tasks/
- https://www.ired.team/offensive-security/persistence/t1053-schtask
- https://thedfirreport.com/2022/02/07/qbot-likes-to-move-it-move-it/
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