Windows Service Installed via an Unusual Client

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Windows Service Installed via an Unusual Client

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Identifies the creation of a Windows service by an unusual client process. Services may be created with administrator privileges but are executed under SYSTEM privileges, so an adversary may also use a service to escalate privileges from administrator to SYSTEM.

Rule type: eql

Rule indices:

  • winlogbeat-*
  • logs-system.*
  • logs-windows.*

Severity: high

Risk score: 73

Runs every: 5m

Searches indices from: now-9m (Date Math format, see also Additional look-back time)

Maximum alerts per execution: 100

References:

Tags:

  • Domain: Endpoint
  • OS: Windows
  • Use Case: Threat Detection
  • Tactic: Privilege Escalation
  • Data Source: System

Version: 111

Rule authors:

  • Elastic

Rule license: Elastic License v2

Setup

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Setup

The Audit Security System Extension logging policy must be configured for (Success) Steps to implement the logging policy with Advanced Audit Configuration:

Computer Configuration >
Policies >
Windows Settings >
Security Settings >
Advanced Audit Policies Configuration >
Audit Policies >
System >
Audit Security System Extension (Success)

Rule query

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configuration where host.os.type == "windows" and
  event.action == "service-installed" and
  (winlog.event_data.ClientProcessId == "0" or winlog.event_data.ParentProcessId == "0") and
  not winlog.event_data.ServiceFileName : (
    "?:\\Windows\\VeeamVssSupport\\VeeamGuestHelper.exe",
    "?:\\Windows\\VeeamLogShipper\\VeeamLogShipper.exe",
    "%SystemRoot%\\system32\\Drivers\\Crowdstrike\\*-CsInstallerService.exe",
    "\"%windir%\\AdminArsenal\\PDQInventory-Scanner\\service-1\\PDQInventory-Scanner-1.exe\" "
  )

Framework: MITRE ATT&CKTM