No Windows Updates in a time frame

name: No Windows Updates in a time frame
id: 1a77c08c-2f56-409c-a2d3-7d64617edd4f
version: 8
creation_date: '2020-04-29'
modification_date: '2026-05-13'
author: Bhavin Patel, Splunk
status: experimental
type: Hunting
description: The following analytic identifies Windows endpoints that have not generated an event indicating a successful Windows update in the last 60 days. It leverages the 'Update' data model in Splunk, specifically looking for the latest 'Installed' status events from Microsoft Windows. This activity is significant for a SOC because endpoints that are not regularly patched are vulnerable to known exploits and security vulnerabilities. If confirmed malicious, this could indicate a compromised endpoint that is intentionally being kept unpatched, potentially allowing attackers to exploit unpatched vulnerabilities and gain unauthorized access or control.
data_source: []
search: |-
    | tstats `security_content_summariesonly` max(_time) as lastTime FROM datamodel=Updates
      WHERE Updates.status=Installed Updates.vendor_product="Microsoft Windows"
      BY Updates.dest Updates.status Updates.vendor_product
    | rename Updates.dest as Host
    | rename Updates.status as "Update Status"
    | rename Updates.vendor_product as Product
    | eval isOutlier=if(lastTime <= relative_time(now(), "-60d@d"), 1, 0)
    | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`
    | search isOutlier=1
    | rename lastTime as "Last Update Time",
    | table Host, "Update Status", Product, "Last Update Time"
    | `no_windows_updates_in_a_time_frame_filter`
how_to_implement: To successfully implement this search, it requires that the 'Update' data model is being populated. This can be accomplished by ingesting Windows events or the Windows Update log via a universal forwarder on the Windows endpoints you wish to monitor. The Windows add-on should be also be installed and configured to properly parse Windows events in Splunk. There may be other data sources which can populate this data model, including vulnerability management systems.
known_false_positives: No false positives have been identified at this time.
references: []
analytic_story:
    - Monitor for Updates
asset_type: Endpoint
mitre_attack_id: []
product:
    - Splunk Enterprise
    - Splunk Enterprise Security
    - Splunk Cloud
category: application
security_domain: endpoint
baselines:
    - Windows Updates Install Successes
    - Windows Updates Install Failures