name: Windows Mimikatz Binary Execution
id: a9e0d6d3-9676-4e26-994d-4e0406bb4467
version: 1
date: '2022-11-16'
author: Michael Haag, Splunk
status: production
type: TTP
description: As simple as it sounds, this analytic identifies when the native mimikatz.exe
  binary executes on Windows. It does look for the original file name as well, just
  in case the binary is renamed. Adversaries sometimes bring in the default binary
  and run it directly. Benjamin Delpy originally created Mimikatz as a proof of concept
  to show Microsoft that its authentication protocols were vulnerable to an attack.
  Instead, he inadvertently created one of the most widely used and downloaded threat
  actor tools of the past 20 years. Mimikatz is an open-source application that allows
  users to view and save authentication credentials such as Kerberos tickets.
data_source:
- Sysmon Event ID 1
search:
  selection1:
    OriginalFileName: mimikatz.exe
  selection2:
    Image|endswith: mimikatz.exe
  condition: (selection1 or selection2)
how_to_implement: To successfully implement this search you need to be ingesting information
  on process that include the name of the process responsible for the changes from
  your endpoints into the `Endpoint` datamodel in the `Processes` node. In addition,
  confirm the latest CIM App 4.20 or higher is installed and the latest TA for the
  endpoint product.
known_false_positives: False positives should be limited as this is directly looking
  for Mimikatz, the credential dumping utility.
references:
- https://www.cisa.gov/uscert/sites/default/files/publications/aa22-320a_joint_csa_iranian_government-sponsored_apt_actors_compromise_federal%20network_deploy_crypto%20miner_credential_harvester.pdf
- https://www.varonis.com/blog/what-is-mimikatz
- https://media.defense.gov/2023/May/24/2003229517/-1/-1/0/CSA_Living_off_the_Land.PDF
tags:
  analytic_story:
  - Credential Dumping
  - CISA AA22-320A
  - Volt Typhoon
  asset_type: Endpoint
  confidence: 100
  impact: 100
  message: An instance of $parent_process_name$ spawning $process_name$ was identified
    on endpoint $dest$ by user $user$ attempting dump credentials.
  mitre_attack_id:
  - T1003
  observable:
  - name: user
    type: User
    role:
    - Victim
  - name: Computer
    type: Hostname
    role:
    - Victim
  - name: parent_process_name
    type: Process
    role:
    - Parent Process
  - name: process_name
    type: Process
    role:
    - Child Process
  product:
  - Splunk Enterprise
  - Splunk Enterprise Security
  - Splunk Cloud
  risk_score: 100
  security_domain: endpoint
tests:
- name: True Positive Test
  attack_data:
  - data: https://media.githubusercontent.com/media/splunk/attack_data/master/datasets/attack_techniques/T1003/credential_extraction/mimikatzwindows-sysmon.log
    source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational
    sourcetype: xmlwineventlog
    update_timestamp: true