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Remote Process Instantiation via WMI and PowerShell Script Block

Author
Mauricio Velazco, Splunk
Source
upstream

The following analytic detects the execution of the Invoke-WmiMethod commandlet with parameters used to start a process on a remote endpoint via WMI, leveraging PowerShell Script Block Logging (EventCode=4104). This method identifies specific script block text patterns associated with remote process instantiation. This activity is significant as it may indicate lateral movement or remote code execution attempts by adversaries. If confirmed malicious, this could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code on remote systems, potentially leading to further compromise and persistence within the network.

MITRE ATT&CK coverage

TacticTechniques
ExecutionT1047 Windows Management Instrumentation

Event coverage

ProviderEvent IDTitle
PowerShell4104Creating Scriptblock text (MessageNumber of MessageTotal).

Stages and Predicates

Stage 1: search

search (ScriptBlockText="*-CN*" OR ScriptBlockText="*-ComputerName*") EventCode=4104 ScriptBlockText="*-Class Win32_Process*" ScriptBlockText="*-Name create*" ScriptBlockText="*Invoke-WmiMethod*"

Stage 2: fillnull

fillnull

Stage 3: stats

stats BY dest, signature, signature_id, user_id, vendor_product, EventID, Guid, Opcode, Name, Path, ProcessID, ScriptBlockId, ScriptBlockText

Stage 4: search

search

Stage 5: search

search

Stage 6: search

search `macro`

Indicators

Each row is a field, operator, and value that the rule matches. The corpus column counts how many other rules in the catalog look for the same combination: high numbers point to widely-used, community-vetted indicators. Blank or 1 shows that the indicator is specific to this rule.

FieldKindValues
EventCodeeq
  • 4104 corpus 108 (splunk 108)
ScriptBlockTexteq
  • "*-CN*"
  • "*-Class Win32_Process*"
  • "*-ComputerName*" corpus 3 (splunk 3)
  • "*-Name create*"
  • "*Invoke-WmiMethod*"

Neighbors

Broader alternatives (more inclusive than this rule)

These rules match a superset of what this rule catches. They cover the same events plus more. Use them if you want wider coverage and can absorb more false positives.