splunk-security_content/detections/endpoint/services_lolbas_execution_process_spawn.yml

name: Services LOLBAS Execution Process Spawn
id: ba9e1954-4c04-11ec-8b74-3e22fbd008af
version: 2
date: '2024-05-20'
author: Mauricio Velazco, Splunk
status: production
type: TTP
description: The following analytic identifies `services.exe` spawning a LOLBAS (Living
  Off the Land Binaries and Scripts) execution process. It leverages data from Endpoint
  Detection and Response (EDR) agents, focusing on process creation events where `services.exe`
  is the parent process. This activity is significant because adversaries often abuse
  the Service Control Manager to execute malicious code via native Windows binaries,
  facilitating lateral movement. If confirmed malicious, this behavior could allow
  attackers to execute arbitrary code, escalate privileges, or maintain persistence
  within the environment, posing a severe security risk.
data_source:
- Sysmon EventID 1
- Windows Event Log Security 4688
- CrowdStrike ProcessRollup2
search: '| tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time)
  as lastTime from datamodel=Endpoint.Processes where (Processes.parent_process_name=services.exe)
  (Processes.process_name IN ("Regsvcs.exe", "Ftp.exe", "OfflineScannerShell.exe",
  "Rasautou.exe", "Schtasks.exe", "Xwizard.exe", "Dllhost.exe", "Pnputil.exe", "Atbroker.exe",
  "Pcwrun.exe", "Ttdinject.exe","Mshta.exe", "Bitsadmin.exe", "Certoc.exe", "Ieexec.exe",
  "Microsoft.Workflow.Compiler.exe", "Runscripthelper.exe", "Forfiles.exe", "Msbuild.exe",
  "Register-cimprovider.exe", "Tttracer.exe", "Ie4uinit.exe", "Bash.exe", "Hh.exe",
  "SettingSyncHost.exe", "Cmstp.exe", "Mmc.exe", "Stordiag.exe", "Scriptrunner.exe",
  "Odbcconf.exe", "Extexport.exe", "Msdt.exe", "WorkFolders.exe", "Diskshadow.exe",
  "Mavinject.exe", "Regasm.exe", "Gpscript.exe", "Rundll32.exe", "Regsvr32.exe", "Msiexec.exe",
  "Wuauclt.exe", "Presentationhost.exe", "Wmic.exe", "Runonce.exe", "Syncappvpublishingserver.exe",
  "Verclsid.exe", "Infdefaultinstall.exe", "Explorer.exe", "Installutil.exe", "Netsh.exe",
  "Wab.exe", "Dnscmd.exe", "At.exe", "Pcalua.exe", "Msconfig.exe")) by Processes.dest
  Processes.user Processes.parent_process Processes.process_name Processes.process
  Processes.process_id Processes.parent_process_id | `drop_dm_object_name(Processes)`
  | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)` | `services_lolbas_execution_process_spawn_filter`'
how_to_implement: 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 applications may trigger this behavior, filter as
  needed.
references:
- https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1543/003/
- https://pentestlab.blog/2020/07/21/lateral-movement-services/
- https://lolbas-project.github.io/
tags:
  analytic_story:
  - Active Directory Lateral Movement
  - Living Off The Land
  - Qakbot
  - CISA AA23-347A
  asset_type: Endpoint
  confidence: 60
  impact: 90
  message: Services.exe spawned a LOLBAS process on $dest$
  mitre_attack_id:
  - T1543
  - T1543.003
  observable:
  - name: dest
    type: Endpoint
    role:
    - Victim
  product:
  - Splunk Enterprise
  - Splunk Enterprise Security
  - Splunk Cloud
  required_fields:
  - _time
  - Processes.dest
  - Processes.user
  - Processes.parent_process_name
  - Processes.parent_process
  - Processes.original_file_name
  - Processes.process_name
  - Processes.process
  - Processes.process_id
  - Processes.parent_process_path
  - Processes.process_path
  - Processes.parent_process_id
  risk_score: 54
  security_domain: endpoint
tests:
- name: True Positive Test
  attack_data:
  - data: 
      https://media.githubusercontent.com/media/splunk/attack_data/master/datasets/attack_techniques/T1543.003/lateral_movement_lolbas/windows-sysmon.log
    source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational
    sourcetype: xmlwineventlog