Known Services Killed by Ransomware
SPLUNK detection rule by Teoderick Contreras, Splunk · Apache-2.0
This analytic has been deprecated in favor of a new analytic - Windows Security And Backup Services Stop. The following analytic detects the suspicious termination of known services commonly targeted by ransomware before file encryption. It leverages Windows System Event Logs (EventCode 7036) to identify when critical services such as Volume Shadow Copy, backup, and antivirus services are stopped. This activity is significant because ransomware often disables these services to avoid errors and ensure successful file encryption. If confirmed malicious, this behavior could lead to widespread data encryption, rendering files inaccessible and potentially causing significant operational disruption and data loss.
name: Known Services Killed by Ransomware
id: 3070f8e0-c528-11eb-b2a0-acde48001122
version: 8
creation_date: '2021-06-04'
modification_date: '2026-05-13'
author: Teoderick Contreras, Splunk
status: removed
type: TTP
description: This analytic has been deprecated in favor of a new analytic - Windows Security And Backup Services Stop. The following analytic detects the suspicious termination of known services commonly targeted by ransomware before file encryption. It leverages Windows System Event Logs (EventCode 7036) to identify when critical services such as Volume Shadow Copy, backup, and antivirus services are stopped. This activity is significant because ransomware often disables these services to avoid errors and ensure successful file encryption. If confirmed malicious, this behavior could lead to widespread data encryption, rendering files inaccessible and potentially causing significant operational disruption and data loss.
data_source:
- Windows Event Log System 7036
search: '`wineventlog_system` EventCode=7036 param1 IN ("*Volume Shadow Copy*","*VSS*", "*backup*", "*sophos*", "*sql*", "*memtas*", "*mepocs*", "*veeam*", "*svc$*", "DefWatch", "ccEvtMgr", "ccSetMgr", "SavRoam", "RTVscan", "QBFCService", "QBIDPService", "Intuit.QuickBooks.FCS", "QBCFMonitorService", "YooBackup", "YooIT", "*Veeam*", "PDVFSService", "BackupExec*", "WdBoot", "WdFilter", "WdNisDrv", "WdNisSvc", "WinDefend", "wscsvc", "Sense", "sppsvc", "SecurityHealthService") param2="stopped" | stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime by EventCode param1 dest | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)` | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` | `known_services_killed_by_ransomware_filter`'
how_to_implement: To successfully implement this search, you need to be ingesting logs with the 7036 EventCode ScManager in System audit Logs from your endpoints.
known_false_positives: Admin activities or installing related updates may do a sudden stop to list of services we monitor.
references:
- https://krebsonsecurity.com/2021/05/a-closer-look-at-the-darkside-ransomware-gang/
- https://www.mcafee.com/blogs/other-blogs/mcafee-labs/mcafee-atr-analyzes-sodinokibi-aka-revil-ransomware-as-a-service-what-the-code-tells-us/
- https://news.sophos.com/en-us/2020/04/24/lockbit-ransomware-borrows-tricks-to-keep-up-with-revil-and-maze/
- https://blogs.vmware.com/security/2022/10/lockbit-3-0-also-known-as-lockbit-black.html
drilldown_searches:
- name: View the detection results for - "$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 ("$dest$") 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: Known services $param1$ terminated by a potential ransomware on $dest$
risk_objects:
- field: dest
type: system
score: 72
threat_objects:
- field: param1
type: service
tags:
analytic_story:
- LockBit Ransomware
- Ransomware
- Compromised Windows Host
- BlackMatter Ransomware
asset_type: Endpoint
mitre_attack_id:
- T1490
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/T1490/known_services_killed_by_ransomware/windows-xml.log
source: XmlWinEventLog:System
sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog
deprecation_info:
reason: Detection deprecated as it no longer effectively identifies the intended malicious activity
removed_in_version: 5.4.0
replacement_content:
- Windows Security And Backup Services Stop
CIRCL