Windows Process Execution From RDP Share

SPLUNK detection rule by Nasreddine Bencherchali, Splunk · Apache-2.0

The following analytic identifies process executions originating from RDP shares on Windows endpoints. Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) shares, typically accessed via the "tsclient" path, allow users to share files between their local machine and a remote desktop session. However, threat actors may exploit RDP shares to execute malicious processes or transfer harmful files onto a compromised system. This detection focuses on identifying any process executions that originate from RDP shares, which could indicate unauthorized access or malicious activity. Security teams should investigate any instances of such process executions, especially if they are found on systems that should not be using RDP shares or if the executed processes are unfamiliar or suspicious.

name: Windows Process Execution From RDP Share
id: 6b1b84c4-3834-4dee-b062-9b79bdb31d15
version: 5
creation_date: '2025-10-24'
modification_date: '2026-05-13'
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali, Splunk
status: production
type: Anomaly
description: |
    The following analytic identifies process executions originating from RDP shares on Windows endpoints.
    Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) shares, typically accessed via the "tsclient" path, allow users to share files between their local machine and a remote desktop session. However, threat actors may exploit RDP shares to execute malicious processes or transfer harmful files onto a compromised system.
    This detection focuses on identifying any process executions that originate from RDP shares, which could indicate unauthorized access or malicious activity.
    Security teams should investigate any instances of such process executions, especially if they are found on systems that should not be using RDP shares or if the executed processes are unfamiliar or suspicious.
data_source:
    - Sysmon EventID 1
    - Windows Event Log Security 4688
    - CrowdStrike ProcessRollup2
search: |
    | tstats `security_content_summariesonly`

      count min(_time) as firstTime
            max(_time) as lastTime

    from datamodel=Endpoint.Processes where

    Processes.process = "*\\\\tsclient\\*"

    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_process_execution_from_rdp_share_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: |
    Legitimate use of RDP shares by users to transfer and execute files may trigger
    this detection. It is essential to review the context of the process execution
    to determine if it is authorized activity.
references:
    - https://jsac.jpcert.or.jp/archive/2024/pdf/JSAC2024_2_7_hara_shoji_higashi_vickie-su_nick-dai_en.pdf
    - https://thedfirreport.com/2020/04/04/gogoogle-ransomware/
    - https://www.welivesecurity.com/2022/09/30/amazon-themed-campaigns-lazarus-netherlands-belgium/
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: Process $process_name$ executed $process$ from RDP share on host $dest$
threat_objects:
    - field: parent_process_name
      type: parent_process_name
    - field: process_name
      type: process_name
analytic_story:
    - Hidden Cobra Malware
asset_type: Endpoint
mitre_attack_id:
    - T1021.001
    - T1105
    - T1059
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/T1021.001/execution_from_rdp_share/execution_from_rdp_share.log
          source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational
          sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog
      test_type: unit

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