splunk_escuTTP

Windows AD add Self to Group

This analytic detects instances where a user adds themselves to an Active Directory (AD) group. This activity is a common indicator of privilege escalation, where a user attempts to gain unauthorized access to higher privileges or sensitive resources. By monitoring AD logs, this detection identifies such suspicious behavior, which could be part of a larger attack strategy aimed at compromising critical systems and data.

MITRE ATT&CK

T1098

Detection Query

`wineventlog_security` EventCode IN (4728)
  | where user=src_user
  | stats min(_time) as _time dc(user) as usercount, values(user) as user values(user_category) as user_category values(src_user_category) as src_user_category values(dvc) as dvc
    BY signature, Group_Name, src_user,
       dest
  | `windows_ad_add_self_to_group_filter`

Author

Dean Luxton

Created

2026-03-10

Data Sources

Windows Event Log Security 4728

Tags

Sneaky Active Directory Persistence TricksMedusa RansomwareActive Directory Privilege Escalation

Raw Content

name: Windows AD add Self to Group
id: 065f2701-b7ea-42f5-9ec4-fbc2261165f9
version: 8
date: '2026-03-10'
author: Dean Luxton
status: production
type: TTP
data_source:
    - Windows Event Log Security 4728
description: This analytic detects instances where a user adds themselves to an Active Directory (AD) group. This activity is a common indicator of privilege escalation, where a user attempts to gain unauthorized access to higher privileges or sensitive resources. By monitoring AD logs, this detection identifies such suspicious behavior, which could be part of a larger attack strategy aimed at compromising critical systems and data.
search: |-
    `wineventlog_security` EventCode IN (4728)
      | where user=src_user
      | stats min(_time) as _time dc(user) as usercount, values(user) as user values(user_category) as user_category values(src_user_category) as src_user_category values(dvc) as dvc
        BY signature, Group_Name, src_user,
           dest
      | `windows_ad_add_self_to_group_filter`
how_to_implement: This analytic requires eventCode 4728 to be ingested.
known_false_positives: No false positives have been identified at this time.
references: []
drilldown_searches:
    - name: View the detection results for - "$user$"
      search: '%original_detection_search% | search  user = "$user$"'
      earliest_offset: $info_min_time$
      latest_offset: $info_max_time$
    - name: View risk events for the last 7 days for - "$user$"
      search: '| from datamodel Risk.All_Risk | search normalized_risk_object IN ("$user$") 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: $user$ added themselves to AD Group $Group_Name$
    risk_objects:
        - field: user
          type: user
          score: 50
    threat_objects: []
tags:
    analytic_story:
        - Sneaky Active Directory Persistence Tricks
        - Medusa Ransomware
        - Active Directory Privilege Escalation
    asset_type: Endpoint
    mitre_attack_id:
        - T1098
    product:
        - Splunk Enterprise
        - Splunk Enterprise Security
        - Splunk Cloud
    security_domain: audit
tests:
    - name: True Positive Test
      attack_data:
        - data: https://media.githubusercontent.com/media/splunk/attack_data/master/datasets/attack_techniques/T1098/account_manipulation/xml-windows-security.log
          source: XmlWinEventLog:Security
          sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog