Suspicious 'Admin' Local User Creation with Net Command

SIGMA detection rule by Micah Babinski · GPL-3.0

Detects creation of a local user account using the net command with 'Admin' in the name - this technique is used by Vice Society ransomware gang to create bogus user accounts that attempt to blend in with an administrative user account naming convention.

title: Suspicious 'Admin' Local User Creation with Net Command
id: 0ce1911b-5038-4ee7-8925-013d808c6c7f
status: experimental
description: Detects creation of a local user account using the net command with 'Admin' in the name - this technique is used by Vice Society ransomware gang to create bogus user accounts that attempt to blend in with an administrative user account naming convention.
references:
    - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2022/10/25/dev-0832-vice-society-opportunistic-ransomware-campaigns-impacting-us-education-sector/
author: Micah Babinski
date: 2022/11/28
tags:
    - attack.persistence
    - attack.privilege_escalation
    - attack.t1136.001
    - attack.t1136
    - attack.t1078
    - attack.t1078.003
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection:
        Image|endswith: '\net.exe'
        CommandLine|contains:
            - 'user'
            - 'add'
            - 'adm'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Valid creation of local user accounts with adm in the name (should be rare)
level: high

[[ currentRule.title && currentRule.title.length > 60 ? currentRule.title.slice(0, 60) + '…' : currentRule.title ]]

bbea8956-9be4-4c12-a69a-05de787fdb7c

Propose edits, view related rules, and engage with the community through comments.

Executable code, not a declarative rule

This submission is arbitrary [[ currentRule.format ? currentRule.format.toUpperCase() : '' ]] code, not a declarative detection rule — review it as you would any script before running it, and note that it cannot be safely aggregated or auto-executed alongside YARA/Sigma/Suricata/CRS rules.

Rejected pattern present

[[ reason ]]

What does this mean?

Format & documentation suggestions

Not a security issue — this rule is valid and was accepted as-is. These are optional fields/conventions its own format recommends, mainly affecting its quality score and how well it documents itself for other reviewers.

[[ reason ]]

What do these messages mean?

[[ currentRule.title && currentRule.title.length > 60 ? currentRule.title.slice(0, 60) + '…' : currentRule.title ]]

[[ currentRule.title ]]

Community Discussion