Domain Group Discovery with Adsisearcher

name: Domain Group Discovery with Adsisearcher
id: 089c862f-5f83-49b5-b1c8-7e4ff66560c7
version: 12
date: '2026-03-10'
author: Mauricio Velazco, Splunk
status: production
type: TTP
description: The following analytic detects the use of the `[Adsisearcher]` type accelerator in PowerShell to query Active Directory for domain groups. It leverages PowerShell Script Block Logging (EventCode=4104) to identify specific script blocks containing `[adsisearcher]` and group-related queries. This activity is significant as it may indicate an attempt by adversaries or Red Teams to enumerate domain groups for situational awareness and Active Directory discovery. If confirmed malicious, this behavior could lead to further reconnaissance, privilege escalation, or lateral movement within the network.
data_source:
    - Powershell Script Block Logging 4104
search: |-
    `powershell` (ScriptBlockText = "*[adsisearcher]*" AND ScriptBlockText = "*(objectcategory=group)*" AND ScriptBlockText = "*findAll()*")
      | fillnull
      | stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime
        BY dest signature signature_id
           user_id vendor_product EventID
           Guid Opcode Name
           Path ProcessID ScriptBlockId
           ScriptBlockText
      | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)`
      | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`
      | `domain_group_discovery_with_adsisearcher_filter`
how_to_implement: To successfully implement this analytic, you will need to enable PowerShell Script Block Logging on some or all endpoints. Additional setup here https://help.splunk.com/en/security-offerings/splunk-user-behavior-analytics/get-data-in/5.4.1/add-other-data-to-splunk-uba/configure-powershell-logging-to-see-powershell-anomalies-in-splunk-uba.
known_false_positives: Administrators or power users may use Adsisearcher for troubleshooting.
references:
    - https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1069/002/
    - https://devblogs.microsoft.com/scripting/use-the-powershell-adsisearcher-type-accelerator-to-search-active-directory/
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: Domain group discovery enumeration using PowerShell on $dest$ by $user_id$
    risk_objects:
        - field: dest
          type: system
          score: 50
    threat_objects: []
tags:
    analytic_story:
        - Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters
        - Active Directory Discovery
    asset_type: Endpoint
    mitre_attack_id:
        - T1069.002
    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/T1069.002/domain_group_discovery_with_adsisearcher/windows-powershell-xml.log
          source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-PowerShell/Operational
          sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog