splunk-security_content/detections/endpoint/windows_mimikatz_binary_execution.yml

name: Windows Mimikatz Binary Execution
id: a9e0d6d3-9676-4e26-994d-4e0406bb4467
version: 3
date: '2024-08-15'
author: Michael Haag, Splunk
status: production
type: TTP
description: The following analytic identifies the execution of the native mimikatz.exe
  binary on Windows systems, including instances where the binary is renamed. It leverages
  data from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agents, focusing on process names
  and original file names. This activity is significant because Mimikatz is a widely
  used tool for extracting authentication credentials, posing a severe security risk.
  If confirmed malicious, this activity could allow attackers to obtain sensitive
  credentials, escalate privileges, and move laterally within the network, leading
  to potential data breaches and system compromise.
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.process_name=mimikatz.exe
  OR Processes.original_file_name=mimikatz.exe) by Processes.dest Processes.user Processes.parent_process_name
  Processes.process_name Processes.original_file_name Processes.process Processes.process_id
  Processes.parent_process_id | `drop_dm_object_name(Processes)` | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)`
  | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)` | `windows_mimikatz_binary_execution_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: 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:
  - Volt Typhoon
  - Sandworm Tools
  - Credential Dumping
  - Flax Typhoon
  - CISA AA22-320A
  - CISA AA23-347A
  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: dest
    type: Hostname
    role:
    - Victim
  - name: parent_process_name
    type: Process
    role:
    - Attacker
  - name: process_name
    type: Process
    role:
    - Attacker
  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: 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