Windows Process Commandline Discovery

name: Windows Process Commandline Discovery
id: 67d2a52e-a7e2-4a5d-ae44-a21212048bc2
version: 8
date: '2026-02-25'
author: Teoderick Contreras, Splunk
status: production
type: Hunting
data_source:
    - Sysmon EventID 1
    - Windows Event Log Security 4688
    - CrowdStrike ProcessRollup2
description: The following analytic detects the use of Windows Management Instrumentation Command-line (WMIC) to retrieve information about running processes, specifically targeting the command lines used to launch those processes. This detection leverages data from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agents, focusing on logs containing process details and command-line executions. This activity is significant as it may indicate suspicious behavior, such as a user or process gathering detailed process information, which is uncommon for non-technical users. If confirmed malicious, this could allow an attacker to gain insights into running processes, aiding in further exploitation or lateral movement.
search: |-
    | tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime FROM datamodel=Endpoint.Processes
      WHERE `process_wmic` Processes.process= "* process *" Processes.process= "* get *" Processes.process= "*CommandLine*"
      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)`
    | `windows_process_commandline_discovery_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: Administrators or power users may use this command for troubleshooting. Filter as needed.
references:
    - https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/cybersecurity-advisories/aa23-347a
tags:
    analytic_story:
        - CISA AA23-347A
    asset_type: Endpoint
    mitre_attack_id:
        - T1057
    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/T1057/process_commandline_discovery/wmic-cmdline-sysmon.log
          source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational
          sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog