Windows Multiple Accounts Disabled

SPLUNK detection rule by Mauricio Velazco, Splunk · Apache-2.0

The following analytic identifies instances where more than five unique Windows accounts are disabled within a 10-minute window, as indicated by Event Code 4725 in the Windows Security Event Log. It leverages the wineventlog_security dataset, grouping data into 10-minute segments and tracking the count and distinct count of TargetUserName. This behavior is significant as it may indicate internal policy breaches or an external attacker's attempt to disrupt operations. If confirmed malicious, this activity could lead to widespread account lockouts, hindering user access and potentially disrupting business operations.

name: Windows Multiple Accounts Disabled
id: 5d93894e-befa-4429-abde-7fc541020b7b
version: 11
creation_date: '2024-03-06'
modification_date: '2026-05-13'
author: Mauricio Velazco, Splunk
status: production
type: TTP
description: The following analytic identifies instances where more than five unique Windows accounts are disabled within a 10-minute window, as indicated by Event Code 4725 in the Windows Security Event Log. It leverages the wineventlog_security dataset, grouping data into 10-minute segments and tracking the count and distinct count of TargetUserName. This behavior is significant as it may indicate internal policy breaches or an external attacker's attempt to disrupt operations. If confirmed malicious, this activity could lead to widespread account lockouts, hindering user access and potentially disrupting business operations.
data_source:
    - Windows Event Log Security 4725
search: |-
    `wineventlog_security` EventCode=4725 status=success
      | bucket span=10m _time
      | stats count dc(user) as unique_users values(user) as user values(dest) as dest
        BY EventCode signature _time
           src_user SubjectDomainName TargetDomainName
           Logon_ID
      | where unique_users > 5
      | `windows_multiple_accounts_disabled_filter`
how_to_implement: To successfully implement this search, you need to be ingesting Domain Controller events with the Windows TA. The Advanced Security Audit policy setting `Audit User Account Management` within `Account Management` needs to be enabled.
known_false_positives: Service accounts may be responsible for the creation, deletion or modification of accounts for legitimate purposes. Filter as needed.
references:
    - https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1098/
drilldown_searches:
    - name: View the detection results for - "$src_user$"
      search: '%original_detection_search% | search  src_user = "$src_user$"'
      earliest_offset: $info_min_time$
      latest_offset: $info_max_time$
    - name: View risk events for the last 7 days for - "$src_user$"
      search: '| from datamodel Risk.All_Risk | search normalized_risk_object IN ("$src_user$") | 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: User $src_user$ disabled multiple accounts in a short period of time.
    entity:
        field: src_user
        type: user
        score: 50
analytic_story:
    - Azure Active Directory Persistence
asset_type: Endpoint
mitre_attack_id:
    - T1098
    - T1078
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/T1098/windows_multiple_accounts_disabled/windows_multiple_accounts_disabled.log
          source: XmlWinEventLog:Security
          sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog
      test_type: unit

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

0be59f55-91d5-4a45-aac7-a1d564340659

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Executable code, not a declarative rule

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