splunk_escuAnomaly

Windows Credentials from Password Stores Chrome LocalState Access

The following analytic detects non-Chrome processes accessing the Chrome "Local State" file, which contains critical settings and information. It leverages Windows Security Event logs, specifically event code 4663, to identify this behavior. This activity is significant because threat actors can exploit this file to extract the encrypted master key used for decrypting saved passwords in Chrome. If confirmed malicious, this could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive information, posing a severe security risk. Monitoring this anomaly helps identify potential threats and safeguard browser-stored data.

MITRE ATT&CK

T1012

Detection Query

`wineventlog_security` EventCode=4663 object_file_path="*\\AppData\\Local\\Google\\Chrome\\User Data\\Local State" NOT (process_name IN ("*\\chrome.exe","*:\\Windows\\explorer.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_localstate_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 LocalState Access
id: 3b1d09a8-a26f-473e-a510-6c6613573657
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 detects non-Chrome processes accessing the Chrome "Local State" file, which contains critical settings and information. It leverages Windows Security Event logs, specifically event code 4663, to identify this behavior. This activity is significant because threat actors can exploit this file to extract the encrypted master key used for decrypting saved passwords in Chrome. If confirmed malicious, this could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive information, posing a severe security risk. Monitoring this anomaly helps identify potential threats and safeguard browser-stored data.
search: '`wineventlog_security` EventCode=4663 object_file_path="*\\AppData\\Local\\Google\\Chrome\\User Data\\Local State" NOT (process_name IN ("*\\chrome.exe","*:\\Windows\\explorer.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_localstate_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 chrome application may access this file and folder path to removed chrome installation in target host. 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\\User Data\\Local State" 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_local_state_simulate_access/redline-localstate-smalldata-xml.log
          source: XmlWinEventLog:Security
          sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog