Windows System Reboot CommandLine

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

The following analytic identifies the execution of the Windows command line to reboot a host machine using "shutdown.exe" with specific parameters. This detection leverages data from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agents, focusing on process names and command-line arguments. This activity is significant as it is often associated with advanced persistent threats (APTs) and remote access trojans (RATs) like dcrat, which may use system reboots to disrupt operations, aid in system destruction, or inhibit recovery. If confirmed malicious, this could lead to system downtime, data loss, or hindered incident response efforts.

name: Windows System Reboot CommandLine
id: 97fc2b60-c8eb-4711-93f7-d26fade3686f
version: 13
creation_date: '2022-07-27'
modification_date: '2026-05-13'
author: Teoderick Contreras, Splunk
status: production
type: Hunting
description: The following analytic identifies the execution of the Windows command line to reboot a host machine using "shutdown.exe" with specific parameters. This detection leverages data from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agents, focusing on process names and command-line arguments. This activity is significant as it is often associated with advanced persistent threats (APTs) and remote access trojans (RATs) like dcrat, which may use system reboots to disrupt operations, aid in system destruction, or inhibit recovery. If confirmed malicious, this could lead to system downtime, data loss, or hindered incident response efforts.
data_source:
    - Sysmon EventID 1
    - Windows Event Log Security 4688
    - CrowdStrike ProcessRollup2
search: |-
    | tstats `security_content_summariesonly` values(Processes.process) as process min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime FROM datamodel=Endpoint.Processes
      WHERE (
            Processes.process_name = shutdown.exe
            OR
            Processes.original_file_name = shutdown.exe
        )
        Processes.process="*shutdown*" Processes.process IN ("* /r*", "* -r*") Processes.process IN ("* /t*","* -t*","* /f*","* -f*")
      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)`
    | `windows_system_reboot_commandline_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: Administrator may execute this commandline to trigger shutdown or restart the host machine.
references:
    - https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1529/
    - https://www.mandiant.com/resources/analyzing-dark-crystal-rat-backdoor
analytic_story:
    - XWorm
    - DarkGate Malware
    - NjRAT
    - Quasar RAT
    - DarkCrystal RAT
    - MoonPeak
    - Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters
    - MuddyWater
asset_type: Endpoint
mitre_attack_id:
    - T1529
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/malware/dcrat/reboot_logoff_commandline/sysmon.log
          source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational
          sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog
      test_type: unit

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1fe0f282-c7fa-4569-86f0-35c5360269d6

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