Detection rules › Splunk
Windows Unsecured Outlook Credentials Access In Registry
The following analytic detects unauthorized access to Outlook credentials stored in the Windows registry. It leverages Windows Security Event logs, specifically EventCode 4663, to identify access attempts to registry paths associated with Outlook profiles. This activity is significant as it may indicate attempts to steal sensitive email credentials, which could lead to unauthorized access to email accounts. If confirmed malicious, this could allow attackers to exfiltrate sensitive information, impersonate users, or execute further unauthorized actions within Outlook, posing a significant security risk.
MITRE ATT&CK coverage
| Tactic | Techniques |
|---|---|
| Credential Access | T1552 Unsecured Credentials |
Event coverage
| Provider | Event ID | Title |
|---|---|---|
| Security-Auditing | 4663 | An attempt was made to access an object. |
Stages and Predicates
Stage 1: search
search EventCode=4663 object_file_path IN ("*\\Profiles\\Outlook\\9375CFF0413111d3B88A00104B2A6676*", "*\\Windows Messaging Subsystem\\Profiles\\9375CFF0413111d3B88A00104B2A6676*") process_name!="*\\\\outlook.exe"
Stage 2: stats
stats BY object_file_name, object_file_path, process_name, process_path, process_id, EventCode, dest
Stage 3: search
search
Stage 4: search
search
Stage 5: 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.
| Field | Kind | Values |
|---|---|---|
EventCode | eq |
|
object_file_path | in |
|
process_name | ne |
|
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.
- Windows Credential Access From Browser Password Store (drops 2 filters this rule applies)