Windows Account Discovery for Sam Account Name

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

The following analytic detects the execution of the PowerView PowerShell cmdlet Get-NetUser, specifically querying for "samaccountname" and "pwdlastset" attributes. It leverages Event ID 4104 from PowerShell Script Block Logging to identify this activity. This behavior is significant as it may indicate an attempt to gather user account information from Active Directory, which is a common reconnaissance step in lateral movement or privilege escalation attacks. If confirmed malicious, this activity could allow an attacker to map out user accounts, potentially leading to further exploitation and unauthorized access within the network.

name: Windows Account Discovery for Sam Account Name
id: 69934363-e1dd-4c49-8651-9d7663dd4d2f
version: 11
creation_date: '2024-01-10'
modification_date: '2026-05-13'
author: Teoderick Contreras, Splunk
status: production
type: Anomaly
description: The following analytic detects the execution of the PowerView PowerShell cmdlet Get-NetUser, specifically querying for "samaccountname" and "pwdlastset" attributes. It leverages Event ID 4104 from PowerShell Script Block Logging to identify this activity. This behavior is significant as it may indicate an attempt to gather user account information from Active Directory, which is a common reconnaissance step in lateral movement or privilege escalation attacks. If confirmed malicious, this activity could allow an attacker to map out user accounts, potentially leading to further exploitation and unauthorized access within the network.
data_source:
    - Powershell Script Block Logging 4104
search: |-
    `powershell` EventCode=4104  ScriptBlockText = "*Get-NetUser*" ScriptBlockText IN ("*samaccountname*", "*pwdlastset*")
      | 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)`
      | `windows_account_discovery_for_sam_account_name_filter`
how_to_implement: To successfully implement this analytic, you will need to enable PowerShell Script Block Logging on some or all endpoints. Additional setup here https://help.splunk.com/en/security-offerings/splunk-user-behavior-analytics/get-data-in/5.4.1/add-other-data-to-splunk-uba/configure-powershell-logging-to-see-powershell-anomalies-in-splunk-uba.=
known_false_positives: Administrators may leverage PowerView for legitimate purposes, filter as needed.
references:
    - https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/cybersecurity-advisories/aa23-347a
drilldown_searches:
    - name: View the detection results for - "$dest$"
      search: '%original_detection_search% | search  dest = "$dest$"'
      earliest_offset: $info_min_time$
      latest_offset: $info_max_time$
    - name: View risk events for the last 7 days for - "$dest$"
      search: '| from datamodel Risk.All_Risk | search normalized_risk_object IN ("$dest$") | 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"
intermediate_findings:
    entities:
        - field: dest
          type: system
          score: 20
          message: Windows Account Discovery for Sam Account Name on $dest$.
analytic_story:
    - CISA AA23-347A
asset_type: Endpoint
mitre_attack_id:
    - T1087
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/T1087/powerview_get_netuser_preauthnotrequire/get-netuser-not-require-pwh.log
          source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-PowerShell/Operational
          sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog
      test_type: unit

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e9159eca-6329-459a-a495-8ca94922d03e

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