Deprecated - PowerShell Script with Discovery Capabilities

ELASTIC detection rule by Elastic · Elastic License v2

Identifies the use of Cmdlets and methods related to discovery activities. Attackers can use these to perform various situational awareness related activities, like enumerating users, shares, sessions, domain trusts, groups, etc.

[metadata]
creation_date = "2023/07/06"
integration = ["windows"]
maturity = "production"
updated_date = "2026/03/24"

[rule]
author = ["Elastic"]
building_block_type = "default"
description = """
Identifies the use of Cmdlets and methods related to discovery activities. Attackers can use these to perform various
situational awareness related activities, like enumerating users, shares, sessions, domain trusts, groups, etc.
"""
from = "now-119m"
index = ["winlogbeat-*", "logs-windows.powershell*"]
interval = "60m"
language = "kuery"
license = "Elastic License v2"
name = "Deprecated - PowerShell Script with Discovery Capabilities"
risk_score = 21
rule_id = "1e0a3f7c-21e7-4bb1-98c7-2036612fb1be"
setup = """## Setup

PowerShell Script Block Logging must be enabled to generate the events used by this rule (e.g., 4104).
Setup instructions: https://ela.st/powershell-logging-setup
"""
severity = "low"
tags = [
    "Domain: Endpoint",
    "OS: Windows",
    "Use Case: Threat Detection",
    "Tactic: Collection",
    "Tactic: Discovery",
    "Data Source: PowerShell Logs",
    "Rule Type: BBR",
]
timestamp_override = "event.ingested"
type = "query"

query = '''
event.category:process and host.os.type:windows and
  powershell.file.script_block_text : (
    (
      "Get-ADDefaultDomainPasswordPolicy" or
      "Get-ADDomain" or "Get-ComputerInfo" or
      "Get-Disk" or "Get-DnsClientCache" or
      "Get-GPOReport" or "Get-HotFix" or
      "Get-LocalUser" or "Get-NetFirewallProfile" or
      "get-nettcpconnection" or "Get-NetAdapter" or
      "Get-PhysicalDisk" or "Get-Process" or
      "Get-PSDrive" or "Get-Service" or
      "Get-SmbShare" or "Get-WinEvent"
    ) or
    (
      ("Get-WmiObject" or "gwmi" or "Get-CimInstance" or
       "gcim" or "Management.ManagementObjectSearcher" or
       "System.Management.ManagementClass" or
       "[WmiClass]") and
      (
        "AntiVirusProduct" or "CIM_BIOSElement" or "CIM_ComputerSystem" or "CIM_Product" or "CIM_DiskDrive" or
        "CIM_LogicalDisk" or "CIM_NetworkAdapter" or "CIM_StorageVolume" or "CIM_OperatingSystem" or
        "CIM_Process" or "CIM_Service" or "MSFT_DNSClientCache" or "Win32_BIOS" or "Win32_ComputerSystem" or
        "Win32_ComputerSystemProduct" or "Win32_DiskDrive" or "win32_environment" or "Win32_Group" or
        "Win32_groupuser" or "Win32_IP4RouteTable" or "Win32_logicaldisk" or "Win32_MappedLogicalDisk" or
        "Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration" or "win32_ntdomain" or "Win32_OperatingSystem" or
        "Win32_PnPEntity" or "Win32_Process" or "Win32_Product" or "Win32_quickfixengineering" or
        "win32_service" or "Win32_Share" or "Win32_UserAccount"
      )
    ) or
    (
      ("ADSI" and "WinNT") or
      ("Get-ChildItem" and "sysmondrv.sys") or
      ("::GetIPGlobalProperties()" and "GetActiveTcpConnections()") or
      ("ServiceProcess.ServiceController" and "::GetServices") or
      ("Diagnostics.Process" and "::GetProcesses") or
      ("DirectoryServices.Protocols.GroupPolicy" and ".GetGPOReport()") or
      ("DirectoryServices.AccountManagement" and "PrincipalSearcher") or
      ("NetFwTypeLib.NetFwMgr" and "CurrentProfile") or
      ("NetworkInformation.NetworkInterface" and "GetAllNetworkInterfaces") or
      ("Automation.PSDriveInfo") or
      ("Microsoft.Win32.RegistryHive")
    ) or
    (
      "Get-ItemProperty" and
      (
        "\Control\SecurityProviders\WDigest" or
        "\microsoft\windows\currentversion\explorer\runmru" or
        "\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\Kerberos\Parameters" or
        "\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall" or
        "\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate" or
        "Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer" or
        "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies" or
        ("\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy" and "EnableFirewall") or
        ("Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings" and "proxyEnable")
      )
    ) or
    (
      ("Directoryservices.Activedirectory" or
      "DirectoryServices.AccountManagement") and 
      (
        "Domain Admins" or "DomainControllers" or
        "FindAllGlobalCatalogs" or "GetAllTrustRelationships" or
        "GetCurrentDomain" or "GetCurrentForest"
      ) or
      "DirectoryServices.DirectorySearcher" and
      (
        "samAccountType=805306368" or
        "samAccountType=805306369" or
        "objectCategory=group" or
        "objectCategory=groupPolicyContainer" or
        "objectCategory=site" or
        "objectCategory=subnet" or
        "objectClass=trustedDomain"
      )
    ) or
    (
      "Get-Process" and
      (
        "mcshield" or "windefend" or "savservice" or
        "TMCCSF" or "symantec antivirus" or
        "CSFalcon" or "TmPfw" or "kvoop"
      )
    )
  ) and
  not powershell.file.script_block_text : (
    (
      "__cmdletization_BindCommonParameters" and
      "Microsoft.PowerShell.Core\Export-ModuleMember" and
      "Microsoft.PowerShell.Cmdletization.Cim.CimCmdletAdapter"
    ) or
    "CmdletsToExport=@(\"Add-Content\"," or
    ("cmdletization" and "cdxml-Help.xml")
  ) and
  not user.id : ("S-1-5-18" or "S-1-5-19" or "S-1-5-20")
'''


[[rule.filters]]
[rule.filters.meta]
negate = true
[rule.filters.query.wildcard."file.path"]
case_insensitive = true
value = "?:\\\\Program Files\\\\WindowsPowerShell\\\\Modules\\\\*.ps?1"

[[rule.filters]]
[rule.filters.meta]
negate = true
[rule.filters.query.wildcard."file.path"]
case_insensitive = true
value = "?:\\\\Program Files\\\\Microsoft Azure AD Sync\\\\Extensions\\\\AADConnector.psm1"

[[rule.filters]]
[rule.filters.meta]
negate = true
[rule.filters.query.wildcard."file.path"]
case_insensitive = true
value = "*ServiceNow MID Server*\\\\agent\\\\scripts\\\\PowerShell\\\\*.psm1"

[[rule.filters]]
[rule.filters.meta]
negate = true
[rule.filters.query.wildcard."file.path"]
case_insensitive = true
value = "?:\\\\Windows\\\\IMECache\\\\HealthScripts\\\\*\\\\detect.ps1"

[[rule.filters]]
[rule.filters.meta]
negate = true
[rule.filters.query.wildcard."file.path"]
case_insensitive = true
value = "?:\\\\Windows\\\\TEMP\\\\SDIAG*"

[[rule.filters]]
[rule.filters.meta]
negate = true
[rule.filters.query.wildcard."file.path"]
case_insensitive = true
value = "?:\\\\Temp\\\\SDIAG*"

[[rule.filters]]
[rule.filters.meta]
negate = true
[rule.filters.query.wildcard."file.path"]
case_insensitive = true
value = "?:\\\\Users\\\\*\\\\AppData\\\\Local\\\\Temp\\\\SDIAG*"

[[rule.filters]]
[rule.filters.meta]
negate = true
[rule.filters.query.wildcard."file.path"]
case_insensitive = true
value = "?:\\\\Program Files\\\\Microsoft Monitoring Agent\\\\Agent\\\\Health Service State\\\\Monitoring Host Temporary Files*"

[[rule.filters]]
[rule.filters.meta]
negate = true
[rule.filters.query.wildcard."file.path"]
case_insensitive = true
value = "?:\\\\ProgramData\\\\Microsoft\\\\Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection\\\\DataCollection\\\\*"


[[rule.threat]]
framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"

[[rule.threat.technique]]
id = "T1007"
name = "System Service Discovery"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1007/"

[[rule.threat.technique]]
id = "T1012"
name = "Query Registry"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1012/"

[[rule.threat.technique]]
id = "T1016"
name = "System Network Configuration Discovery"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1016/"

[[rule.threat.technique]]
id = "T1049"
name = "System Network Connections Discovery"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1049/"

[[rule.threat.technique]]
id = "T1057"
name = "Process Discovery"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1057/"

[[rule.threat.technique]]
id = "T1069"
name = "Permission Groups Discovery"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1069/"

[[rule.threat.technique.subtechnique]]
id = "T1069.001"
name = "Local Groups"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1069/001/"

[[rule.threat.technique.subtechnique]]
id = "T1069.002"
name = "Domain Groups"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1069/002/"

[[rule.threat.technique]]
id = "T1082"
name = "System Information Discovery"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1082/"

[[rule.threat.technique]]
id = "T1083"
name = "File and Directory Discovery"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1083/"

[[rule.threat.technique]]
id = "T1087"
name = "Account Discovery"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1087/"

[[rule.threat.technique.subtechnique]]
id = "T1087.001"
name = "Local Account"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1087/001/"

[[rule.threat.technique.subtechnique]]
id = "T1087.002"
name = "Domain Account"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1087/002/"

[[rule.threat.technique]]
id = "T1135"
name = "Network Share Discovery"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1135/"

[[rule.threat.technique]]
id = "T1201"
name = "Password Policy Discovery"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1201/"

[[rule.threat.technique]]
id = "T1482"
name = "Domain Trust Discovery"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1482/"

[[rule.threat.technique]]
id = "T1518"
name = "Software Discovery"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1518/"

[[rule.threat.technique.subtechnique]]
id = "T1518.001"
name = "Security Software Discovery"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1518/001/"

[[rule.threat.technique]]
id = "T1615"
name = "Group Policy Discovery"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1615/"

[rule.threat.tactic]
id = "TA0007"
name = "Discovery"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0007/"

[[rule.threat]]
framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"

[[rule.threat.technique]]
id = "T1059"
name = "Command and Scripting Interpreter"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/"

[[rule.threat.technique.subtechnique]]
id = "T1059.001"
name = "PowerShell"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/001/"

[rule.threat.tactic]
id = "TA0002"
name = "Execution"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0002/"

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

d3997ee8-ba9b-4377-95f3-8536fb8df491

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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 ]]

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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 ]]

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