Spoolsv Writing a DLL - Sysmon

name: Spoolsv Writing a DLL - Sysmon
id: 347fd388-da87-11eb-836d-acde48001122
version: 9
date: '2026-03-10'
author: Mauricio Velazco, Splunk
status: production
type: TTP
description: The following analytic detects `spoolsv.exe` writing a `.dll` file, which is unusual behavior and may indicate exploitation of vulnerabilities like CVE-2021-34527 (PrintNightmare). This detection leverages Sysmon EventID 11 to monitor file creation events in the `\spool\drivers\x64\` directory. This activity is significant because `spoolsv.exe` typically does not write DLL files, and such behavior could signify an ongoing attack. If confirmed malicious, this could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code, escalate privileges, or maintain persistence on the compromised system.
data_source:
    - Sysmon EventID 11
search: '`sysmon` EventID=11 process_name=spoolsv.exe file_path="*\\spool\\drivers\\x64\\*" file_name=*.dll | stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime by action dest file_name file_path  process_guid process_id user_id vendor_product | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)` | `spoolsv_writing_a_dll___sysmon_filter`'
how_to_implement: To successfully implement this search, you need to be ingesting logs with the process name, parent process, and command-line executions from your endpoints. If you are using Sysmon, you must have at least version 6.0.4 of the Sysmon TA. Tune and filter known instances where renamed rundll32.exe may be used.
known_false_positives: Limited false positives. Filter as needed.
references:
    - https://github.com/cube0x0/impacket/commit/73b9466c17761384ece11e1028ec6689abad6818
    - https://www.truesec.com/hub/blog/fix-for-printnightmare-cve-2021-1675-exploit-to-keep-your-print-servers-running-while-a-patch-is-not-available
    - https://www.truesec.com/hub/blog/exploitable-critical-rce-vulnerability-allows-regular-users-to-fully-compromise-active-directory-printnightmare-cve-2021-1675
    - https://www.reddit.com/r/msp/comments/ob6y02/critical_vulnerability_printnightmare_exposes
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 process has been identified writing dll's to $file_path$ on endpoint $dest$. This behavior is suspicious and related to PrintNightmare.
    risk_objects:
        - field: dest
          type: system
          score: 50
    threat_objects:
        - field: file_name
          type: file_name
tags:
    analytic_story:
        - PrintNightmare CVE-2021-34527
        - Black Basta Ransomware
    asset_type: Endpoint
    cve:
        - CVE-2021-34527
    mitre_attack_id:
        - T1547.012
    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/T1547.012/printnightmare/windows-sysmon.log
          source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational
          sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog