Windows MSIExec Spawn Discovery Command
Description
The following analytic detects MSIExec spawning multiple discovery commands. This behavior is identified using data from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agents, focusing on process creation events where MSIExec is the parent process. If confirmed malicious, an attacker could use these discovery commands to gather system information, potentially leading to further exploitation or lateral movement within the network.
Query · spl
| tstats `security_content_summariesonly`
count min(_time) as firstTime
max(_time) as lastTime
FROM datamodel=Endpoint.Processes WHERE
Processes.parent_process_name=msiexec.exe
(
Processes.process_name IN (
"arp.exe"
"dsget.exe",
"hostname.exe",
"ipconfig.exe",
"nbtstat.exe",
"netdom.exe",
"nltest.exe",
"ntdsutil.exe",
"qprocess.exe",
"qwinsta.exe",
"systeminfo.exe"
"wmic.exe"
)
OR
(
Processes.process_name IN (
"bash.exe",
"cmd.exe",
"powershell.exe",
"powershell_ise.exe",
"pwsh.exe"
)
(
Processes.process IN (
"*arp *",
"*dsget*",
"*hostname*",
"*ipconfig*",
"*nbtstat*",
"*netdom*",
"*nltest*",
"*ntdsutil*",
"*qprocess *",
"*qwinsta*",
"*systeminfo*",
"*wmic *"
)
OR
(
(
Processes.process IN (
"*net *",
"*net.exe *",
"*net1*"
"*net1.exe*"
)
OR
Processes.process_name IN (
"net.exe",
"net1.exe"
)
)
Processes.process = "*view*"
)
OR
(
(
Processes.process IN (
"*reg *",
"*reg.exe *"
"*sc *",
"*sc.exe *",
)
OR
Processes.process_name IN (
"reg.exe",
"sc.exe"
)
)
Processes.process = "*query*"
NOT Processes.process = "* /SC *"
)
OR
(
(
Processes.process IN (
"*query *",
"*query.exe*"
)
OR
Processes.process_name = "query.exe"
)
Processes.process IN (
"* process",
"* session",
"* user",
)
)
)
)
)
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_msiexec_spawn_discovery_command_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
- False positives might still be present, depending on the installer. Filter as needed.
Analyst notes
Known false positives: False positives might still be present, depending on the installer. Filter as needed.