Powershell Enable SMB1Protocol Feature

SPLUNK detection rule by Teoderick Contreras, Splunk · Apache-2.0

The following analytic detects the enabling of the SMB1 protocol via `powershell.exe`. It leverages PowerShell script block logging (EventCode 4104) to identify the execution of the `Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature` cmdlet with the `SMB1Protocol` parameter. This activity is significant because enabling SMB1 can facilitate lateral movement and file encryption by ransomware, such as RedDot. If confirmed malicious, this action could allow an attacker to propagate through the network, encrypt files, and potentially disrupt business operations.

name: Powershell Enable SMB1Protocol Feature
id: afed80b2-d34b-11eb-a952-acde48001122
version: 12
creation_date: '2021-06-23'
modification_date: '2026-05-13'
author: Teoderick Contreras, Splunk
status: production
type: TTP
description: The following analytic detects the enabling of the SMB1 protocol via `powershell.exe`. It leverages PowerShell script block logging (EventCode 4104) to identify the execution of the `Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature` cmdlet with the `SMB1Protocol` parameter. This activity is significant because enabling SMB1 can facilitate lateral movement and file encryption by ransomware, such as RedDot. If confirmed malicious, this action could allow an attacker to propagate through the network, encrypt files, and potentially disrupt business operations.
data_source:
    - Powershell Script Block Logging 4104
search: |-
    `powershell` EventCode=4104 ScriptBlockText = "*Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature*" ScriptBlockText = "*SMB1Protocol*"
      | fillnull
      | stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime
        BY dest signature signature_id
           user_id vendor_product EventID
           Guid Opcode Name
           Path ProcessID ScriptBlockId
           ScriptBlockText
      | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)`
      | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`
      | `powershell_enable_smb1protocol_feature_filter`
how_to_implement: To successfully implement this search, you need to be ingesting logs with the powershell logs  from your endpoints. make sure you enable needed registry to monitor this event.
known_false_positives: network operator may enable or disable this windows feature.
references:
    - https://app.any.run/tasks/c0f98850-af65-4352-9746-fbebadee4f05/
    - https://www.splunk.com/en_us/blog/security/hunting-for-malicious-powershell-using-script-block-logging.html
drilldown_searches:
    - name: View the detection results for - "$Computer$"
      search: '%original_detection_search% | search  Computer = "$Computer$"'
      earliest_offset: $info_min_time$
      latest_offset: $info_max_time$
    - name: View risk events for the last 7 days for - "$Computer$"
      search: '| from datamodel Risk.All_Risk | search normalized_risk_object IN ("$Computer$") | 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: 7d
      latest_offset: "0"
finding:
    title: Powershell Enable SMB1Protocol Feature on $dest$
    entity:
        field: dest
        type: system
        score: 50
analytic_story:
    - Ransomware
    - Malicious PowerShell
    - Hermetic Wiper
    - Data Destruction
asset_type: Endpoint
mitre_attack_id:
    - T1027.005
product:
    - Splunk Enterprise
    - Splunk Enterprise Security
    - Splunk Cloud
category: endpoint
security_domain: endpoint
tests:
    - name: True Positive Test
      attack_data:
        - data: https://media.githubusercontent.com/media/splunk/attack_data/master/datasets/attack_techniques/T1059.001/powershell_script_block_logging/sbl_xml.log
          source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-PowerShell/Operational
          sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog
      test_type: unit

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19f51251-6da6-4f89-8736-f7fbef7e190e

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