splunk-security_content/detections/endpoint/windows_process_execution_from_programdata.yml

name: Windows Process Execution From ProgramData
id: 237016fa-d8e6-47b4-80f9-70c4d42c72c0
version: '5'
date: '2025-09-18'
author: Teoderick Contreras, Splunk
status: production
type: Anomaly
description: The following analytic identifies processes running from file paths within
  the ProgramData directory, a common location abused by adversaries for executing
  malicious code while evading detection. Threat actors often drop and execute payloads
  from this directory to bypass security controls, as it typically has write permissions
  for standard users. While this behavior can indicate malware execution or persistence
  techniques, it is important to note that some legitimate software, installers, and
  update mechanisms also run from ProgramData, leading to potential false positives.
  Security teams should validate detections by correlating with other indicators,
  such as unusual parent processes, unsigned binaries, or anomalous network activity.
data_source:
- Sysmon EventID 1
- Windows Event Log Security 4688
- CrowdStrike ProcessRollup2
search: '| tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count values(Processes.process_name)
  as process_name values(Processes.process) as process min(_time) as firstTime max(_time)
  as lastTime from datamodel=Endpoint.Processes where Processes.process_path = "*:\\ProgramData\\*"
  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_process_execution_from_programdata_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: Administrators may allow execution of specific binaries in
  non-standard paths. Filter as needed.
references:
- https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2023/05/24/volt-typhoon-targets-us-critical-infrastructure-with-living-off-the-land-techniques/
drilldown_searches:
- name: View the detection results for - "$dest$"
  search: '%original_detection_search% | search  dest = "$dest$"'
  earliest_offset: $info_min_time$
  latest_offset: $info_max_time$
- name: View risk events for the last 7 days for - "$dest$"
  search: '| from datamodel Risk.All_Risk | search normalized_risk_object IN ("$dest$")
    starthoursago=168  | stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime
    values(search_name) as "Search Name" values(risk_message) as "Risk Message" values(analyticstories)
    as "Analytic Stories" values(annotations._all) as "Annotations" values(annotations.mitre_attack.mitre_tactic)
    as "ATT&CK Tactics" by normalized_risk_object | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)`
    | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`'
  earliest_offset: $info_min_time$
  latest_offset: $info_max_time$
rba:
  message: Suspicious process $process_name$ running from a process path- $process_path$
    on host- $dest$
  risk_objects:
  - field: dest
    type: system
    score: 25
  threat_objects:
  - field: parent_process_name
    type: parent_process_name
tags:
  analytic_story:
  - SnappyBee
  - XWorm
  - Salt Typhoon
  - China-Nexus Threat Activity
  - APT37 Rustonotto and FadeStealer
  - GhostRedirector IIS Module and Rungan Backdoor
  asset_type: Endpoint
  mitre_attack_id:
  - T1036.005
  product:
  - Splunk Enterprise
  - Splunk Enterprise Security
  - Splunk Cloud
  security_domain: endpoint
tests:
- name: True Positive Test
  attack_data:
  - data: https://media.githubusercontent.com/media/splunk/attack_data/master/datasets/attack_techniques/T1036.005/process_in_programdata/exec_programdata.log
    source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational
    sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog