Windows PowerShell WMI Win32 ScheduledJob

name: Windows PowerShell WMI Win32 ScheduledJob
id: 47c69803-2c09-408b-b40a-063c064cbb16
version: 12
creation_date: '2023-03-27'
modification_date: '2026-05-13'
author: Michael Haag, Splunk
status: production
type: TTP
description: The following analytic detects the use of the Win32_ScheduledJob WMI class via PowerShell script block logging. This class, which manages scheduled tasks, is disabled by default due to security concerns and must be explicitly enabled through registry modifications. The detection leverages PowerShell event code 4104 and script block text analysis. Monitoring this activity is crucial as it may indicate malicious intent, especially if the class was enabled by an attacker. If confirmed malicious, this could allow attackers to persist in the environment by creating scheduled tasks.
data_source:
    - Powershell Script Block Logging 4104
search: |-
    `powershell` EventCode=4104 ScriptBlockText="*win32_scheduledjob*"
      | fillnull
      | stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime
        BY dest signature signature_id
           user_id vendor_product EventID
           Guid Opcode Name
           Path ProcessID ScriptBlockId
           ScriptBlockText
      | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)`
      | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`
      | `windows_powershell_wmi_win32_scheduledjob_filter`
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://help.splunk.com/en/security-offerings/splunk-user-behavior-analytics/get-data-in/5.4.1/add-other-data-to-splunk-uba/configure-powershell-logging-to-see-powershell-anomalies-in-splunk-uba.
known_false_positives: False positives may be present based on legacy applications or utilities. Win32_ScheduledJob uses the Remote Procedure Call (RPC) protocol to create scheduled tasks on remote computers. It uses the DCOM (Distributed Component Object Model) infrastructure to establish a connection with the remote computer and invoke the necessary methods. The RPC service needs to be running on both the local and remote computers for the communication to take place.
references:
    - https://securityonline.info/wmiexec-regout-get-outputdata-response-from-registry/
    - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/cimwin32prov/win32-scheduledjob
drilldown_searches:
    - name: View the detection results for - "$dest$"
      search: '%original_detection_search% | search  dest = "$dest$"'
      earliest_offset: $info_min_time$
      latest_offset: $info_max_time$
    - name: View risk events for the last 7 days for - "$dest$"
      search: '| from datamodel Risk.All_Risk | search normalized_risk_object IN ("$dest$") | stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime values(search_name) as "Search Name" values(risk_message) as "Risk Message" values(analyticstories) as "Analytic Stories" values(annotations._all) as "Annotations" values(annotations.mitre_attack.mitre_tactic) as "ATT&CK Tactics" by normalized_risk_object | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`'
      earliest_offset: 7d
      latest_offset: "0"
finding:
    title: PowerShell attempting to create a task via WMI - Win32_ScheduledJob,  was ran on $dest$.
    entity:
        field: dest
        type: system
        score: 50
analytic_story:
    - Active Directory Lateral Movement
asset_type: Endpoint
mitre_attack_id:
    - T1059.001
product:
    - Splunk Enterprise
    - Splunk Enterprise Security
    - Splunk Cloud
category: endpoint
security_domain: endpoint
tests:
    - name: True Positive Test
      attack_data:
        - data: https://media.githubusercontent.com/media/splunk/attack_data/master/datasets/attack_techniques/T1059.001/atomic_red_team/win32_scheduledjob_windows-powershell.log
          source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-PowerShell/Operational
          sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog
      test_type: unit