name: SLUI Spawning a Process
id: 879c4330-b3e0-11eb-b1b1-acde48001122
version: 1
date: '2021-05-13'
author: Michael Haag, Splunk
status: production
type: TTP
description: The following analytic identifies the Microsoft Software Licensing User
  Interface Tool, `slui.exe`, spawning a child process. This behavior is associated
  with publicly known UAC bypass. `slui.exe` is commonly associated with software
  updates and is most often spawned by `svchost.exe`. The `slui.exe` process should
  not have child processes, and any processes spawning from it will be running with
  elevated privileges. During triage, review the child process and additional parallel
  processes. Identify any file modifications that may have lead to the bypass.
data_source:
- Sysmon Event ID 1
search:
  selection1:
    ParentImage: slui.exe
  condition: selection1
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.
known_false_positives: Certain applications may spawn from `slui.exe` that are legitimate.
  Filtering will be needed to ensure proper monitoring.
references:
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/46998
- https://www.rapid7.com/db/modules/exploit/windows/local/bypassuac_sluihijack/
- https://www.mandiant.com/resources/shining-a-light-on-darkside-ransomware-operations
tags:
  analytic_story:
  - DarkSide Ransomware
  - Windows Defense Evasion Tactics
  asset_type: Endpoint
  confidence: 90
  impact: 70
  message: A slui process $parent_process_name$ spawning child process $process_name$
    in host $dest$
  mitre_attack_id:
  - T1548.002
  - T1548
  observable:
  - name: dest
    type: Hostname
    role:
    - Victim
  - name: user
    type: User
    role:
    - Victim
  product:
  - Splunk Enterprise
  - Splunk Enterprise Security
  - Splunk Cloud
  risk_score: 63
  security_domain: endpoint
tests:
- name: True Positive Test
  attack_data:
  - data: https://media.githubusercontent.com/media/splunk/attack_data/master/datasets/attack_techniques/T1548.002/slui/windows-sysmon.log
    source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational
    sourcetype: xmlwineventlog