Create local admin accounts using net exe

SPLUNK detection rule by Bhavin Patel, Splunk · Apache-2.0

The following analytic has been deprecated. The following analytic detects the creation of local administrator accounts using the net.exe command. It leverages Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) data to identify processes named net.exe or net1.exe with the "/add" parameter and keywords related to administrator accounts. This activity is significant as it may indicate an attacker attempting to gain persistent access or escalate privileges. If confirmed malicious, this could lead to unauthorized access, data theft, or further system compromise. Review the process details, user context, and related artifacts to determine the legitimacy of the activity.

name: Create local admin accounts using net exe
id: b89919ed-fe5f-492c-b139-151bb162040e
version: 17
creation_date: '2020-04-29'
modification_date: '2026-05-13'
author: Bhavin Patel, Splunk
status: removed
type: TTP
description: The following analytic has been deprecated. The following analytic detects the creation of local administrator accounts using the net.exe command. It leverages Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) data to identify processes named net.exe or net1.exe with the "/add" parameter and keywords related to administrator accounts. This activity is significant as it may indicate an attacker attempting to gain persistent access or escalate privileges. If confirmed malicious, this could lead to unauthorized access, data theft, or further system compromise. Review the process details, user context, and related artifacts to determine the legitimacy of the activity.
data_source:
    - Sysmon EventID 1
    - Windows Event Log Security 4688
    - CrowdStrike ProcessRollup2
search: '| tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count values(Processes.user) as user values(Processes.parent_process) as parent_process values(parent_process_name) as parent_process_name min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime from datamodel=Endpoint.Processes where `process_net` AND Processes.process=*/add* AND (Processes.process=*administrators* OR Processes.process=*administratoren* OR Processes.process=*administrateurs* OR Processes.process=*administrador* OR Processes.process=*amministratori* OR Processes.process=*administratorer* OR Processes.process=*Rendszergazda* OR Processes.process=*Администратор* OR Processes.process=*Administratör*) by Processes.process Processes.process_name Processes.parent_process_name Processes.dest Processes.user| `drop_dm_object_name(Processes)` | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)` | `create_local_admin_accounts_using_net_exe_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: Administrators often leverage net.exe to create admin accounts.
references: []
drilldown_searches:
    - name: View the detection results for - "$user$" and "$dest$"
      search: '%original_detection_search% | search  user = "$user$" dest = "$dest$"'
      earliest_offset: $info_min_time$
      latest_offset: $info_max_time$
    - name: View risk events for the last 7 days for - "$user$" and "$dest$"
      search: '| from datamodel Risk.All_Risk | search normalized_risk_object IN ("$user$", "$dest$") starthoursago=168  | 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: $info_min_time$
      latest_offset: $info_max_time$
rba:
    message: An instance of $parent_process_name$ spawning $process_name$ was identified on endpoint $dest$ by user $user$ attempting to add a user to the local Administrators group.
    risk_objects:
        - field: user
          type: user
          score: 30
        - field: dest
          type: system
          score: 30
    threat_objects:
        - field: parent_process_name
          type: parent_process_name
        - field: process_name
          type: process_name
tags:
    analytic_story:
        - DHS Report TA18-074A
        - Azorult
        - CISA AA22-257A
        - DarkGate Malware
        - CISA AA24-241A
    asset_type: Endpoint
    mitre_attack_id:
        - T1136.001
    product:
        - Splunk Enterprise
        - Splunk Enterprise Security
        - Splunk Cloud
    security_domain: endpoint
tests:
    - name: True Positive Test
      attack_data:
          - data: https://media.githubusercontent.com/media/splunk/attack_data/master/datasets/attack_techniques/T1136.001/atomic_red_team/windows-sysmon.log
            source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational
            sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog
deprecation_info:
    reason: Renamed and updated logic
    removed_in_version: 5.2.0
    replacement_content:
        - Windows Create Local Administrator Account Via Net

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