Powershell Load Module in Meterpreter

Description

The following analytic detects the execution of suspicious PowerShell commands associated with Meterpreter modules, such as "MSF.Powershell" and "MSF.Powershell.Meterpreter". It leverages PowerShell Script Block Logging (EventCode=4104) to capture and analyze the full command sent to PowerShell. This activity is significant as it indicates potential post-exploitation actions, including credential dumping and persistence mechanisms. If confirmed malicious, an attacker could gain extensive control over the compromised system, escalate privileges, and maintain long-term access, posing a severe threat to the environment.

Query · spl

`powershell` EventCode=4104 ScriptBlockText IN ("*MSF.Powershell*","*MSF.Powershell.Meterpreter*","*MSF.Powershell.Meterpreter.Kiwi*","*MSF.Powershell.Meterpreter.Transport*")
  | 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)`
  | `powershell_load_module_in_meterpreter_filter`

Implementation guide

The following analytic requires PowerShell operational logs to be imported. Modify the powershell macro as needed to match the sourcetype or add index. This analytic is specific to 4104, or PowerShell Script Block Logging.

Known false positives

  • False positives should be very limited as this is strict to MetaSploit behavior.

Analyst notes

Known false positives: False positives should be very limited as this is strict to MetaSploit behavior.

Raw source Powershell Load Module in Meterpreter · SPL
Esc
Published by splunk/security_content ↗, licensed under Apache 2.0 ↗. Reproduced here unmodified. 
name: Powershell Load Module in Meterpreter
id: d5905da5-d050-48db-9259-018d8f034fcf
version: 12
creation_date: '2022-11-22'
modification_date: '2026-05-13'
author: Michael Haag, Splunk
status: production
type: TTP
description: The following analytic detects the execution of suspicious PowerShell commands associated with Meterpreter modules, such as "MSF.Powershell" and "MSF.Powershell.Meterpreter". It leverages PowerShell Script Block Logging (EventCode=4104) to capture and analyze the full command sent to PowerShell. This activity is significant as it indicates potential post-exploitation actions, including credential dumping and persistence mechanisms. If confirmed malicious, an attacker could gain extensive control over the compromised system, escalate privileges, and maintain long-term access, posing a severe threat to the environment.
data_source:
    - Powershell Script Block Logging 4104
search: |-
    `powershell` EventCode=4104 ScriptBlockText IN ("*MSF.Powershell*","*MSF.Powershell.Meterpreter*","*MSF.Powershell.Meterpreter.Kiwi*","*MSF.Powershell.Meterpreter.Transport*")
      | 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)`
      | `powershell_load_module_in_meterpreter_filter`
how_to_implement: The following analytic requires PowerShell operational logs to be imported. Modify the powershell macro as needed to match the sourcetype or add index. This analytic is specific to 4104, or PowerShell Script Block Logging.
known_false_positives: False positives should be very limited as this is strict to MetaSploit behavior.
references:
    - https://github.com/OJ/metasploit-payloads/blob/master/powershell/MSF.Powershell/Scripts.cs
drilldown_searches:
    - name: View the detection results for - "$user_id$" and "$Computer$"
      search: '%original_detection_search% | search  user_id = "$user_id$" Computer = "$Computer$"'
      earliest_offset: $info_min_time$
      latest_offset: $info_max_time$
    - name: View risk events for the last 7 days for - "$user_id$" and "$Computer$"
      search: '| from datamodel Risk.All_Risk | search normalized_risk_object IN ("$user_id$", "$Computer$") | 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 was identified running a script utilized by Meterpreter from MetaSploit on endpoint $dest$ by user $user_id$.
    entity:
        field: user_id
        type: user
        score: 50
intermediate_findings:
    entities:
        - field: dest
          type: system
          score: 50
          message: PowerShell was identified running a script utilized by Meterpreter from MetaSploit on endpoint $dest$ by user $user_id$.
analytic_story:
    - MetaSploit
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/metasploit/msf.powershell.powershell.log
          source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-PowerShell/Operational
          sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog
      test_type: unit

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