Windows ClipBoard Data via Get-ClipBoard

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

The following analytic detects the execution of the PowerShell command 'Get-Clipboard' to retrieve clipboard data. It leverages PowerShell Script Block Logging (EventCode 4104) to identify instances where this command is used. This activity is significant because it can indicate an attempt to steal sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, or other confidential data copied to the clipboard. If confirmed malicious, this behavior could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive information, potentially compromising user accounts and other critical assets.

name: Windows ClipBoard Data via Get-ClipBoard
id: ab73289e-2246-4de0-a14b-67006c72a893
version: 12
creation_date: '2022-12-06'
modification_date: '2026-06-29'
author: Teoderick Contreras, Splunk
status: production
type: Anomaly
description: |-
    The following analytic detects the execution of the PowerShell command 'Get-Clipboard' to retrieve clipboard data.
    It leverages PowerShell Script Block Logging (EventCode 4104) to identify instances where this command is used.
    This activity is significant because it can indicate an attempt to steal sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, or other confidential data copied to the clipboard.
    If confirmed malicious, this behavior could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive information, potentially compromising user accounts and other critical assets.
data_source:
    - Powershell Script Block Logging 4104
search: |-
    `powershell`
    EventCode=4104
    ScriptBlockText = "*Get-Clipboard*"
    | 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_clipboard_data_via_get_clipboard_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: It is possible there will be false positives, filter as needed.
references:
    - https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1115/
    - https://github.com/carlospolop/PEASS-ng/tree/master/winPEAS
    - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2022/10/14/new-prestige-ransomware-impacts-organizations-in-ukraine-and-poland/
drilldown_searches:
    - name: View the detection results for - "$dest$" and "$user_id$"
      search: '%original_detection_search% | search  dest = "$dest$" user_id = "$user_id$"'
      earliest_offset: $info_min_time$
      latest_offset: $info_max_time$
    - name: View risk events for the last 7 days for - "$dest$" and "$user_id$"
      search: '| from datamodel Risk.All_Risk | search normalized_risk_object IN ("$dest$", "$user_id$") | 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: A suspicious powershell script with the ScriptBlockId [$ScriptBlockId$] containing Get-Clipboard commandlet to retrieve clipboard data was executed on host $dest$
        - field: user_id
          type: user
          score: 20
          message: A suspicious powershell script with the ScriptBlockId [$ScriptBlockId$] containing Get-Clipboard commandlet to retrieve clipboard data was executed on host $dest$ by user $user_id$
analytic_story:
    - Windows Post-Exploitation
    - Prestige Ransomware
    - BlankGrabber Stealer
asset_type: Endpoint
mitre_attack_id:
    - T1115
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/winpeas/powershell/windows-powershell-xml2.log
          source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-PowerShell/Operational
          sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog
      test_type: unit

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