Windows PsTools Recon Usage
Description
The following analytic identifies execution of Sysinternals PsTools and Sysinternals Suit binaries that are commonly used for reconnaissance and information gathering on Windows endpoints. PsTools (PsExec, PsFile, PsGetSid, PsInfo, PsPing, etc.) or Sysinternals Suit tools, are frequently used by administrators for legitimate maintenance but are also leveraged by threat actors to collect system, account, network and service information during discovery and lateral movement. This detection focuses on process execution and PE metadata telemetry (OriginalFileName). If confirmed malicious, this activity can indicate targeted reconnaissance and foothold escalation, enabling subsequent lateral movement or credential abuse.
Query · spl
| tstats `security_content_summariesonly`
count min(_time) as firstTime
max(_time) as lastTime
from datamodel=Endpoint.Processes where
Processes.process_name IN (
"PsGetsid.exe",
"PsGetsid64.exe",
"PsInfo.exe",
"PsInfo64.exe",
"pslist.exe",
"pslist64.exe",
"PsLoggedon.exe",
"PsLoggedon64.exe",
"psloglist.exe",
"psloglist64.exe",
"PsPing.exe",
"PsPing64.exe",
"PsService.exe",
"PsService64.exe",
"Tcpvcon.exe",
"Tcpvcon64.exe",
"Tcpvcon64a.exe"
)
OR
Processes.original_file_name IN (
"PsGetSid.exe",
"Psinfo.exe",
"pslist.exe",
"psloggedon.exe",
"psloglist.exe",
"psping.exe",
"psservice.exe",
"Tcpvcon.exe"
)
by Processes.action Processes.dest Processes.original_file_name Processes.parent_process Processes.parent_process_exec
Processes.parent_process_guid Processes.parent_process_id Processes.parent_process_name Processes.parent_process_path
Processes.process Processes.process_exec Processes.process_guid Processes.process_hash Processes.process_id
Processes.process_integrity_level Processes.process_name Processes.process_path Processes.user Processes.user_id
Processes.vendor_product
| `drop_dm_object_name(Processes)`
| `security_content_ctime(firstTime)`
| `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`
| `windows_pstools_recon_usage_filter`
Implementation guide
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
- Legitimate administrators commonly use PsTools for troubleshooting and management. False positives are likely in environments where PsTools are an approved operational toolset, or where automated management systems invoke them. Tune by whitelisting approved management hosts, service accounts, and scheduled maintenance windows.
Analyst notes
Known false positives: Legitimate administrators commonly use PsTools for troubleshooting and management. False positives are likely in environments where PsTools are an approved operational toolset, or where automated management systems invoke them. Tune by whitelisting approved management hosts, service accounts, and scheduled maintenance windows.