Network Discovery Using Route Windows App

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

The following analytic detects the execution of the `route.exe` Windows application, commonly used for network discovery. It leverages data from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agents, focusing on process creation events. This activity is significant because adversaries often use `route.exe` to map network routes and identify potential targets within a network. If confirmed malicious, this behavior could allow attackers to gain insights into network topology, facilitating lateral movement and further exploitation. Note that false positives may occur due to legitimate administrative tasks or automated scripts.

name: Network Discovery Using Route Windows App
id: dd83407e-439f-11ec-ab8e-acde48001122
version: 10
creation_date: '2021-11-17'
modification_date: '2026-05-13'
author: Teoderick Contreras, Splunk
status: production
type: Hunting
description: The following analytic detects the execution of the `route.exe` Windows application, commonly used for network discovery. It leverages data from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agents, focusing on process creation events. This activity is significant because adversaries often use `route.exe` to map network routes and identify potential targets within a network. If confirmed malicious, this behavior could allow attackers to gain insights into network topology, facilitating lateral movement and further exploitation. Note that false positives may occur due to legitimate administrative tasks or automated scripts.
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_name=route.exe OR Processes.original_file_name=route.exe)
    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)`
    | `network_discovery_using_route_windows_app_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: A network operator or systems administrator may utilize an automated host discovery application that may generate false positives or an amazon ec2 script that uses this application. Filter as needed.
references:
    - https://app.any.run/tasks/ad4c3cda-41f2-4401-8dba-56cc2d245488/
analytic_story:
    - Active Directory Discovery
    - Qakbot
    - CISA AA22-277A
    - Windows Post-Exploitation
    - Prestige Ransomware
asset_type: Endpoint
mitre_attack_id:
    - T1016.001
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/vilsel/sysmon.log
          source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational
          sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog
      test_type: unit

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Executable code, not a declarative rule

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