splunk_escuAnomaly

Windows Credentials from Password Stores Chrome Login Data Access

The following analytic identifies non-Chrome processes accessing the Chrome user data file "login data." This file is an SQLite database containing sensitive information, including saved passwords. The detection leverages Windows Security Event logs, specifically event code 4663, to monitor access attempts. This activity is significant as it may indicate attempts by threat actors to extract and decrypt stored passwords, posing a risk to user credentials. If confirmed malicious, attackers could gain unauthorized access to sensitive accounts and escalate their privileges within the environment.

MITRE ATT&CK

T1012

Detection Query

`wineventlog_security` EventCode=4663 object_file_path="*\\AppData\\Local\\Google\\Chrome\\User Data\\Default\\Login Data" AND NOT (process_path IN ("*:\\Windows\\explorer.exe", "*:\\Windows\\System32\\dllhost.exe", "*\\chrome.exe")) | stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime by object_file_name object_file_path process_name process_path  process_id EventCode dest | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)` | `windows_credentials_from_password_stores_chrome_login_data_access_filter`

Author

Teoderick Contreras, Splunk

Created

2026-03-10

Data Sources

Windows Event Log Security 4663

References

https://malpedia.caad.fkie.fraunhofer.de/details/win.redline_stealer

Tags

StealC StealerDarkGate MalwareMalicious Inno Setup LoaderNjRATPhemedrone StealerSalt TyphoonAmadeyEarth AluxWarzone RATQuasar RATPXA StealerRedLine StealerSnappyBeeMeduza StealerBraodo StealerMoonPeakSnake KeyloggerChina-Nexus Threat Activity0bj3ctivity StealerLokibotScattered Lapsus$ HuntersBlankGrabber Stealer

Raw Content

name: Windows Credentials from Password Stores Chrome Login Data Access
id: 0d32ba37-80fc-4429-809c-0ba15801aeaf
version: 18
date: '2026-03-10'
author: Teoderick Contreras, Splunk
status: production
type: Anomaly
data_source:
    - Windows Event Log Security 4663
description: The following analytic identifies non-Chrome processes accessing the Chrome user data file "login data." This file is an SQLite database containing sensitive information, including saved passwords. The detection leverages Windows Security Event logs, specifically event code 4663, to monitor access attempts. This activity is significant as it may indicate attempts by threat actors to extract and decrypt stored passwords, posing a risk to user credentials. If confirmed malicious, attackers could gain unauthorized access to sensitive accounts and escalate their privileges within the environment.
search: '`wineventlog_security` EventCode=4663 object_file_path="*\\AppData\\Local\\Google\\Chrome\\User Data\\Default\\Login Data" AND NOT (process_path IN ("*:\\Windows\\explorer.exe", "*:\\Windows\\System32\\dllhost.exe", "*\\chrome.exe")) | stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime by object_file_name object_file_path process_name process_path  process_id EventCode dest | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)` | `windows_credentials_from_password_stores_chrome_login_data_access_filter`'
how_to_implement: To successfully implement this search, you must ingest Windows Security Event logs and track event code 4663. For 4663, enable "Audit Object Access" in Group Policy. Then check the two boxes listed for both "Success" and "Failure."
known_false_positives: Uninstall application may access this registry to remove the entry of the target application. filter is needed.
references:
    - https://malpedia.caad.fkie.fraunhofer.de/details/win.redline_stealer
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 non-chrome process $process_name$ accessing Chrome "Login Data" file on $dest$
    risk_objects:
        - field: dest
          type: system
          score: 20
    threat_objects: []
tags:
    analytic_story:
        - StealC Stealer
        - DarkGate Malware
        - Malicious Inno Setup Loader
        - NjRAT
        - Phemedrone Stealer
        - Salt Typhoon
        - Amadey
        - Earth Alux
        - Warzone RAT
        - Quasar RAT
        - PXA Stealer
        - RedLine Stealer
        - SnappyBee
        - Meduza Stealer
        - Braodo Stealer
        - MoonPeak
        - Snake Keylogger
        - China-Nexus Threat Activity
        - 0bj3ctivity Stealer
        - Lokibot
        - Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters
        - BlankGrabber Stealer
    asset_type: Endpoint
    mitre_attack_id:
        - T1012
    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/malware/redline/chrome_login_data_simulate_access/redline-login-data-security-xml.log
          source: XmlWinEventLog:Security
          sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog