Analytics Story: Ransomware

Updated Date: 2026-05-13 ID: cf309d0d-d4aa-4fbb-963d-1e79febd3756 Author: David Dorsey, Splunk Product: Splunk Enterprise Security

Description

Leverage searches that allow you to detect and investigate unusual activities that might relate to ransomware--spikes in SMB traffic, suspicious wevtutil usage, the presence of common ransomware extensions, and system processes run from unexpected locations, and many others.

Why it matters

Ransomware is an ever-present risk to the enterprise, wherein an infected host encrypts business-critical data, holding it hostage until the victim pays the attacker a ransom. There are many types and varieties of ransomware that can affect an enterprise. Attackers can deploy ransomware to enterprises through spearphishing campaigns and driveby downloads, as well as through traditional remote service-based exploitation. In the case of the WannaCry campaign, there was self-propagating wormable functionality that was used to maximize infection. Fortunately, organizations can apply several techniques--such as those in this Analytic Story--to detect and or mitigate the effects of ransomware.

Detections

Name ▲▼	Technique ▲▼	Type ▲▼
Permission Modification using Takeown App	File and Directory Permissions Modification	Anomaly
SMB Traffic Spike	SMB/Windows Admin Shares	Anomaly
Windows Event Log Cleared	Clear Windows Event Logs	TTP
Windows Set Account Password Policy To Unlimited Via Net	Service Stop	Anomaly
Windows NirSoft AdvancedRun	Tool	TTP
Fsutil Zeroing File	Indicator Removal	TTP
Windows Hide Notification Features Through Registry	Modify Registry	Anomaly
Schtasks used for forcing a reboot	Scheduled Task	TTP
Prohibited Network Traffic Allowed	Exfiltration Over Alternative Protocol	TTP
Uninstall App Using MsiExec	Msiexec	TTP
Conti Common Exec parameter	User Execution	TTP
WinEvent Scheduled Task Created Within Public Path	Scheduled Task	TTP
Windows Eventlog Cleared Via Wevtutil	Clear Windows Event Logs	Anomaly
WBAdmin Delete System Backups	Inhibit System Recovery	TTP
Deleting Shadow Copies	Inhibit System Recovery	TTP
Common Ransomware Notes	Data Destruction	Hunting
Windows Excessive Service Stop Attempt	Service Stop	TTP
Prevent Automatic Repair Mode using Bcdedit	Inhibit System Recovery	TTP
Detect Remote Access Software Usage FileInfo	Remote Access Tools	Anomaly
Windows Security And Backup Services Stop	Inhibit System Recovery	TTP
Spike in File Writes	None	Anomaly
Windows Disable Change Password Through Registry	Modify Registry	Anomaly
Allow Operation with Consent Admin	Abuse Elevation Control Mechanism	TTP
WinEvent Scheduled Task Created to Spawn Shell	Scheduled Task	TTP
Detect Remote Access Software Usage Process	Remote Access Tools	Anomaly
Powershell Enable SMB1Protocol Feature	Indicator Removal from Tools	TTP
Detect Renamed RClone	Automated Exfiltration	Hunting
Windows Raccine Scheduled Task Deletion	Disable or Modify Tools	TTP
Execute Javascript With Jscript COM CLSID	Visual Basic	TTP
Rundll32 LockWorkStation	Rundll32	Anomaly
Linux EFI Bootloader File Deletion	System Firmware, Bootkit	TTP
Detect SharpHound Command-Line Arguments	Local Groups, Domain Groups, Local Account, Domain Account, Domain Trust Discovery	TTP
Windows Registry Modification for Safe Mode Persistence	Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder	TTP
Windows .Key File Creation in Root Directory	Data Encrypted for Impact	Anomaly
Powershell Execute COM Object	PowerShell, Component Object Model Hijacking	TTP
Detect Remote Access Software Usage URL	Remote Access Tools	Anomaly
Windows InstallUtil in Non Standard Path	Rename Legitimate Utilities, InstallUtil	TTP
Delete ShadowCopy With PowerShell	Inhibit System Recovery	TTP
Revil Registry Entry	Modify Registry	TTP
Suspicious Scheduled Task from Public Directory	Scheduled Task	Anomaly
Windows Disable Lock Workstation Feature Through Registry	Modify Registry	Anomaly
UAC Bypass With Colorui COM Object	CMSTP	TTP
Windows Process Execution in Temp Dir	Match Legitimate Resource Name or Location, Create or Modify System Process	Anomaly
Suspicious wevtutil Usage	Clear Windows Event Logs	TTP
Allow Network Discovery In Firewall	Cloud Firewall	TTP
Windows Disable Shutdown Button Through Registry	Modify Registry	Anomaly
TOR Traffic	Multi-hop Proxy	TTP
Windows Excessive Usage Of Net App	Account Access Removal	Anomaly
BCDEdit Failure Recovery Modification	Inhibit System Recovery	TTP
Modification Of Wallpaper	Defacement	TTP
Windows Disable LogOff Button Through Registry	Modify Registry	Anomaly
Windows Event Logging Service Has Shutdown	Clear Windows Event Logs	Hunting
Windows Scheduled Task with Suspicious Command	Scheduled Task	TTP
Recursive Delete of Directory In Batch CMD	File Deletion	TTP
Revil Common Exec Parameter	User Execution	TTP
Detect Remote Access Software Usage Registry	Remote Access Tools	Anomaly
Powershell Disable Security Monitoring	Disable or Modify Tools	TTP
ICACLS Grant Command	File and Directory Permissions Modification	Anomaly
7zip CommandLine To SMB Share Path	Archive via Utility	Hunting
Remote Process Instantiation via WMI	Windows Management Instrumentation	TTP
Unusually Long Command Line	None	Anomaly
Windows Scheduled Task with Suspicious Name	Scheduled Task	TTP
Detect Remote Access Software Usage Traffic	Remote Access Tools	Anomaly
CMLUA Or CMSTPLUA UAC Bypass	CMSTP	TTP
Windows DiskCryptor Usage	Data Encrypted for Impact	Hunting
Msmpeng Application DLL Side Loading	DLL	TTP
Windows Remote Image Load	Command and Scripting Interpreter, Exploitation for Privilege Escalation, Shared Modules, Exploitation for Client Execution	Anomaly
Detect RClone Command-Line Usage	Automated Exfiltration	TTP
Excessive Usage Of SC Service Utility	Service Execution	Anomaly
Windows Disable Windows Group Policy Features Through Registry	Modify Registry	Anomaly
Cisco Secure Firewall - Remote Access Software Usage Traffic	Remote Access Tools	Anomaly
Disable Windows Behavior Monitoring	Disable or Modify Tools	TTP
Registry Keys Used For Persistence	Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder	TTP
USN Journal Deletion	Indicator Removal	TTP
Windows RMM Named Pipe	SMB/Windows Admin Shares, Process Injection, Inter-Process Communication	Anomaly
Detect SharpHound Usage	Local Groups, Domain Groups, Local Account, Domain Account, Domain Trust Discovery	TTP
Disable AMSI Through Registry	Disable or Modify Tools	TTP
Wbemprox COM Object Execution	CMSTP	TTP
Common Ransomware Extensions	Data Destruction	TTP
Detect SharpHound File Modifications	Local Groups, Domain Groups, Local Account, Domain Account, Domain Trust Discovery	TTP
Disable Logs Using WevtUtil	Clear Windows Event Logs	TTP
MS Exchange Mailbox Replication service writing Active Server Pages	External Remote Services, Exploit Public-Facing Application, Web Shell	TTP
Windows DotNet Binary in Non Standard Path	Rename Legitimate Utilities, InstallUtil	TTP
Detect Remote Access Software Usage DNS	Remote Access Tools	Anomaly
Windows Disable Memory Crash Dump	Data Destruction	TTP
Allow File And Printing Sharing In Firewall	Cloud Firewall	TTP
System Processes Run From Unexpected Locations	Rename Legitimate Utilities	Anomaly
Disable ETW Through Registry	Disable or Modify Tools	TTP
Clear Unallocated Sector Using Cipher App	File Deletion	TTP
Recon AVProduct Through Pwh or WMI	Gather Victim Host Information	TTP
Detect Remote Access Software Usage File	Remote Access Tools	Anomaly

Data Sources

Name ▲▼	Platform ▲▼	Sourcetype ▲▼	Source ▲▼
Sysmon EventID 1	Windows	`XmlWinEventLog`	`XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational`
CrowdStrike ProcessRollup2	Other	`crowdstrike:events:sensor`	`crowdstrike`
Windows Event Log Security 4688	Windows	`XmlWinEventLog`	`XmlWinEventLog:Security`
Windows Event Log Security 1102	Windows	`XmlWinEventLog`	`XmlWinEventLog:Security`
Windows Event Log System 104	Windows	`XmlWinEventLog`	`XmlWinEventLog:System`
Sysmon EventID 13	Windows	`XmlWinEventLog`	`XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational`
Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Connection Event	Other	`cisco:sfw:estreamer`	`not_applicable`
Windows Event Log Security 4698	Windows	`XmlWinEventLog`	`XmlWinEventLog:Security`
Sysmon EventID 11	Windows	`XmlWinEventLog`	`XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational`
Windows Event Log System 7036	Windows	`XmlWinEventLog`	`XmlWinEventLog:System`
Powershell Script Block Logging 4104	Windows	`XmlWinEventLog`	`XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-PowerShell/Operational`
Sysmon for Linux EventID 11	Linux	`sysmon:linux`	`Syslog:Linux-Sysmon/Operational`
Palo Alto Network Threat	Network	`pan:threat`	`not_applicable`
Sysmon EventID 12	Windows	`XmlWinEventLog`	`XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational`
Sysmon EventID 7	Windows	`XmlWinEventLog`	`XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational`
Palo Alto Network Traffic	Network	`pan:traffic`	`not_applicable`
Windows Event Log Security 1100	Windows	`XmlWinEventLog`	`XmlWinEventLog:Security`
Windows Event Log Security 4702	Windows	`XmlWinEventLog`	`XmlWinEventLog:Security`
Windows Event Log Security 4700	Windows	`XmlWinEventLog`	`XmlWinEventLog:Security`
Cisco Network Visibility Module Flow Data	Network	`cisco:nvm:flowdata:v2`	`not_applicable`
Sysmon EventID 18	Windows	`XmlWinEventLog`	`XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational`
Sysmon EventID 17	Windows	`XmlWinEventLog`	`XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational`
Sysmon EventID 22	Windows	`XmlWinEventLog`	`XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational`

References

Source: GitHub | Version: 2