Detection: Detect Certify With PowerShell Script Block Logging

Updated Date: 2024-11-13 ID: f533ca6c-9440-4686-80cb-7f294c07812a Author: Steven Dick Type: TTP Product: Splunk Enterprise Security

Description

The following analytic detects the use of the Certify tool via an in-memory PowerShell function to enumerate Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS) environments. It leverages PowerShell Script Block Logging (EventCode 4104) to identify specific command patterns associated with Certify's enumeration and exploitation functions. This activity is significant as it indicates potential reconnaissance or exploitation attempts against AD CS, which could lead to unauthorized certificate issuance. If confirmed malicious, attackers could leverage this to escalate privileges, persist in the environment, or access sensitive information by abusing AD CS.

Search

1`powershell` EventCode=4104 (ScriptBlockText IN ("*find *") AND ScriptBlockText IN ("* /vulnerable*","* -vulnerable*","* /enrolleeSuppliesSubject *","* /json /outfile*")) OR (ScriptBlockText IN (,"*auth *","*req *",) AND ScriptBlockText IN ("* -ca *","* -username *","* -u *")) OR (ScriptBlockText IN ("*request *","*download *") AND ScriptBlockText IN ("* /ca:*")) 
2| stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime list(ScriptBlockText) as command Values(OpCode) as reason values(Path) as file_name values(UserID) as user by _time Computer EventCode 
3| `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` 
4| `security_content_ctime(lastTime)` 
5| eval file_name = case(isnotnull(file_name),file_name,true(),"unknown") 
6| eval signature = substr(command,0,256) 
7| rename Computer as dest,EventCode as signature_id 
8| `detect_certify_with_powershell_script_block_logging_filter`

Data Source

Name	Platform	Sourcetype	Source
Powershell Script Block Logging 4104	Windows	`'xmlwineventlog'`	`'XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-PowerShell/Operational'`

Macros Used

Name	Value
powershell	`(source=WinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-PowerShell/Operational OR source="XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-PowerShell/Operational")`
detect_certify_with_powershell_script_block_logging_filter	`search *`

detect_certify_with_powershell_script_block_logging_filter is an empty macro by default. It allows the user to filter out any results (false positives) without editing the SPL.

Annotations

- MITRE ATT&CK

+ Kill Chain Phases

+ NIST

+ CIS

- Threat Actors

ID	Technique	Tactic
T1649	Steal or Forge Authentication Certificates	Credential Access
T1059	Command and Scripting Interpreter	Execution
T1059.001	PowerShell	Execution

Exploitation

Installation

DE.CM

CIS 10

Default Configuration

This detection is configured by default in Splunk Enterprise Security to run with the following settings:

Setting	Value
Disabled	true
Cron Schedule	`0 * * * *`
Earliest Time	`-70m@m`
Latest Time	`-10m@m`
Schedule Window	`auto`
Creates Notable	Yes
Rule Title	`%name%`
Rule Description	`%description%`
Notable Event Fields	user, dest
Creates Risk Event	True

This configuration file applies to all detections of type TTP. These detections will use Risk Based Alerting and generate Notable Events.

Implementation

To successfully implement this analytic, you will need to enable PowerShell Script Block Logging on some or all endpoints. Additional setup here https://docs.splunk.com/Documentation/UBA/5.0.4.1/GetDataIn/AddPowerShell#Configure_module_logging_for_PowerShell..

Known False Positives

Unknown, partial script block matches.

Associated Analytic Story

Risk Based Analytics (RBA)

Risk Message:

Certify arguments through PowerShell detected on $dest$.

Risk Object	Risk Object Type	Risk Score	Threat Objects
dest	system	90	No Threat Objects
user	user	90	No Threat Objects

References

Detection Testing

Test Type	Status	Dataset	Source	Sourcetype
Validation	✅ Passing	N/A	N/A	N/A
Unit	✅ Passing	Dataset	`XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-PowerShell/Operational`	`XmlWinEventLog`
Integration	✅ Passing	Dataset	`XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-PowerShell/Operational`	`XmlWinEventLog`

Replay any dataset to Splunk Enterprise by using our replay.py tool or the UI. Alternatively you can replay a dataset into a Splunk Attack Range

Source: GitHub | Version: 4