Windows Kerberos Local Successful Logon

name: Windows Kerberos Local Successful Logon
id: 8309c3a8-4d34-48ae-ad66-631658214653
version: 12
date: '2026-03-10'
author: Michael Haag, Splunk
status: production
type: TTP
description: The following analytic identifies a local successful authentication event on a Windows endpoint using the Kerberos package. It detects EventCode 4624 with LogonType 3 and source address 127.0.0.1, indicating a login to the built-in local Administrator account. This activity is significant as it may suggest a Kerberos relay attack, a method attackers use to escalate privileges. If confirmed malicious, this could allow an attacker to gain unauthorized access to sensitive systems, execute arbitrary code, or create new accounts in Active Directory, leading to potential system compromise.
data_source:
    - Windows Event Log Security 4624
search: |-
    `wineventlog_security`  EventCode=4624 LogonType=3 AuthenticationPackageName=Kerberos action=success src=127.0.0.1
      | fillnull
      | stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime
        BY action app authentication_method
           dest dvc process
           process_id process_name process_path
           signature signature_id src
           src_port status subject
           user user_group vendor_product
      | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)`
      | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`
      | `windows_kerberos_local_successful_logon_filter`
how_to_implement: To successfully implement this search, you need to be ingesting Windows Security Event Logs with 4624 EventCode enabled. The Windows TA is also required.
known_false_positives: False positives are possible, filtering may be required to restrict to workstations vs domain controllers. Filter as needed.
references:
    - https://github.com/Dec0ne/KrbRelayUp
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 successful localhost Kerberos authentication event occurred on $dest$, possibly indicative of Kerberos relay attack.
    risk_objects:
        - field: dest
          type: system
          score: 50
    threat_objects: []
tags:
    analytic_story:
        - Local Privilege Escalation With KrbRelayUp
        - Active Directory Kerberos Attacks
        - Compromised Windows Host
        - Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters
    asset_type: Endpoint
    mitre_attack_id:
        - T1558
    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/T1558/windows_kerberos_local_successful_logon/windows-xml.log
          source: XmlWinEventLog:Security
          sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog