Windows WBAdmin File Recovery From Backup

name: Windows WBAdmin File Recovery From Backup
id: 0175f0b7-728d-4038-bbf1-1c30d6ee3d31
version: 4
date: '2026-03-10'
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali, Splunk
status: production
type: Anomaly
description: |
    The following analytic identifies the execution of wbadmin.exe with arguments indicative of restoring files from an existing backup.
    WBAdmin is a legitimate Windows Backup utility used for creating, managing, and restoring backups. However, adversaries may abuse it to restore specific files (e.g., sensitive credentials, configuration files, or malware stagers) from prior backups to regain access or re-establish persistence after cleanup or encryption events.
    Monitoring this behavior is important because restoring individual files from a system backup outside of approved recovery workflows may indicate an attacker attempting to retrieve deleted or encrypted data, recover previously dropped payloads, or access prior system states as part of post-compromise activity.
    If confirmed malicious, this action could enable attackers to regain operational footholds, extract sensitive data, or restore tampered components, undermining remediation and containment efforts.
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=wbadmin.exe OR Processes.original_file_name=WBADMIN.EXE)
    Processes.process = "*start*"
    Processes.process = "*recovery*"
    Processes.process = "*itemtype:file*"

    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)`
    | `windows_wbadmin_file_recovery_from_backup_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 may use WBAdmin to restore files during approved recovery or testing activities. Validate the users and context of the operation and apply additional filters as needed.
references:
    - https://lolbas-project.github.io/lolbas/Binaries/Wbadmin/
    - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/wbadmin-start-recovery
    - https://redmondmag.com/articles/2025/07/18/restoring-a-file-from-a-windows-image-backup.aspx
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: An attempt to restore a file from a backup via WBAdmin $process$ was observed on $dest$
    risk_objects:
        - field: dest
          type: system
          score: 20
    threat_objects: []
tags:
    analytic_story:
        - Credential Dumping
    asset_type: Endpoint
    mitre_attack_id:
        - T1490
        - T1565.001
    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/T1565.001/wbadmin_recovery/wbadmin_recovery.log
          source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational
          sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog