wmiprsve_lolbas_execution_process_spawn.yml

name: Wmiprsve LOLBAS Execution Process Spawn
id: 95a455f0-4c04-11ec-b8ac-3e22fbd008af
version: 7
date: '2025-10-21'
author: Mauricio Velazco, Splunk
status: removed
type: TTP
description: The following analytic detects `wmiprvse.exe` spawning a LOLBAS execution
  process. It leverages data from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agents, focusing
  on process creation events where `wmiprvse.exe` is the parent process and the child
  process is a known LOLBAS binary. This activity is significant as it may indicate
  lateral movement or remote code execution by an adversary abusing Windows Management
  Instrumentation (WMI). If confirmed malicious, this behavior could allow attackers
  to execute arbitrary code, escalate privileges, or maintain persistence within the
  environment, posing a severe security risk.
data_source:
- Sysmon EventID 1
- Windows Event Log Security 4688
- CrowdStrike ProcessRollup2
search: '| tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time)
  as lastTime from datamodel=Endpoint.Processes where (Processes.parent_process_name=wmiprvse.exe)
  (Processes.process_name IN ("Regsvcs.exe", "Ftp.exe", "OfflineScannerShell.exe",
  "Rasautou.exe", "Schtasks.exe", "Xwizard.exe", "Dllhost.exe", "Pnputil.exe", "Atbroker.exe",
  "Pcwrun.exe", "Ttdinject.exe","Mshta.exe", "Bitsadmin.exe", "Certoc.exe", "Ieexec.exe",
  "Microsoft.Workflow.Compiler.exe", "Runscripthelper.exe", "Forfiles.exe", "Msbuild.exe",
  "Register-cimprovider.exe", "Tttracer.exe", "Ie4uinit.exe", "Bash.exe", "Hh.exe",
  "SettingSyncHost.exe", "Cmstp.exe", "Mmc.exe", "Stordiag.exe", "Scriptrunner.exe",
  "Odbcconf.exe", "Extexport.exe", "Msdt.exe", "WorkFolders.exe", "Diskshadow.exe",
  "Mavinject.exe", "Regasm.exe", "Gpscript.exe", "Rundll32.exe", "Regsvr32.exe", "Msiexec.exe",
  "Wuauclt.exe", "Presentationhost.exe", "Wmic.exe", "Runonce.exe", "Syncappvpublishingserver.exe",
  "Verclsid.exe", "Infdefaultinstall.exe", "Explorer.exe", "Installutil.exe", "Netsh.exe",
  "Wab.exe", "Dnscmd.exe", "At.exe", "Pcalua.exe", "Msconfig.exe")) 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)`
  | `wmiprsve_lolbas_execution_process_spawn_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: Legitimate applications may trigger this behavior, filter as
  needed.
references:
- https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1047/
- https://www.ired.team/offensive-security/lateral-movement/t1047-wmi-for-lateral-movement
- https://lolbas-project.github.io/
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: Wmiprsve.exe spawned a LOLBAS process on $dest$.
  risk_objects:
  - field: dest
    type: system
    score: 54
  threat_objects: []
tags:
  analytic_story:
  - Active Directory Lateral Movement
  asset_type: Endpoint
  mitre_attack_id:
  - T1047
  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/T1047/lateral_movement_lolbas/windows-sysmon.log
    source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational
    sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog