Windows RDP File Execution

name: Windows RDP File Execution
id: 0b6b12b9-8ba9-48fe-b3b8-b4e3e1cd22b4
version: 7
date: '2026-03-10'
author: Michael Haag, Splunk
type: TTP
status: production
description: The following analytic detects when a Windows RDP client attempts to execute an RDP file from a temporary directory, downloads directory, or Outlook directories. This detection is significant as it can indicate an attempt for an adversary to deliver a .rdp file, which may be leveraged by attackers to control or exfiltrate data. If confirmed malicious, this activity could lead to unauthorized access, data theft, or further lateral movement within the network.
data_source:
    - Sysmon EventID 1
    - Windows Event Log Security 4688
    - CrowdStrike ProcessRollup2
search: '| tstats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime from datamodel=Endpoint.Processes where Processes.process IN ("*\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\*", "*\\Olk\\Attachments\\*", "*\\AppData\\Local\\Microsoft\\Outlook\\*", "*\\Content.Outlook\\*", "*\\Downloads\\*") AND Processes.process="*.rdp*" 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)` | eval execution_type=case( match(process, "\\\\Temp\\\\.*\\.(zip|7z|rar|cab|tgz|gz|tar|iso|img|vhd|vhdx).*\\.*\\.rdp"), "temp_archive_execution", match(process, "\\\\Downloads\\\\"), "downloads_execution", match(process, "\\\\Temp\\\\"), "temp_execution", match(process, "\\\\Microsoft\\\\Outlook\\\\"), "outlook_execution", match(process, "\\\\Olk\\\\Attachments\\\\"), "outlook_execution", match(process, "\\\\Content.Outlook\\\\"), "outlook_execution", true(), "other" ), risk_score=case( execution_type="temp_archive_execution", "Critical", execution_type IN ("temp_execution", "outlook_execution"), "High", execution_type="downloads_execution", "Medium", true(), "Low" ), risk_reason=case( execution_type="temp_archive_execution", "RDP file executed directly from archive/disk image in Temp directory", execution_type="downloads_execution", "RDP file executed from Downloads directory (Could be legitimate admin activity)", execution_type="temp_execution", "RDP file executed from Temp directory", execution_type="outlook_execution", "RDP file executed from Outlook directories", true(), "Standard RDP file execution" ) | sort - risk_score | rename process_name as "RDP Process", parent_process_name as "Parent Process", process as "Command Line", user as "User", execution_type as "Execution Context", risk_score as "Risk Level", risk_reason as "Risk Details" | fields - parent_process | `windows_rdp_file_execution_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: False positives may be present based on administrators using RDP files for legitimate purposes. Filter as needed.
references:
    - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2024/10/29/midnight-blizzard-conducts-large-scale-spear-phishing-campaign-using-rdp-files/
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: A Windows RDP client attempted to execute an RDP file from a temporary directory, downloads directory, or Outlook directories on the endpoint $dest$.
    risk_objects:
        - field: dest
          type: system
          score: 50
    threat_objects: []
tags:
    analytic_story:
        - Spearphishing Attachments
        - Windows RDP Artifacts and Defense Evasion
        - Interlock Ransomware
    asset_type: Endpoint
    mitre_attack_id:
        - T1598.002
        - T1021.001
    product:
        - Splunk Enterprise
        - Splunk Enterprise Security
        - Splunk Cloud
    security_domain: endpoint
    cve: []
tests:
    - name: True Positive Test
      attack_data:
        - data: https://media.githubusercontent.com/media/splunk/attack_data/master/datasets/attack_techniques/T1598.002/rdp/mstsc_rdpfile-windows-sysmon.log
          sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog
          source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational