SLUI Spawning a Process

name: SLUI Spawning a Process
id: 879c4330-b3e0-11eb-b1b1-acde48001122
version: 11
date: '2026-03-24'
author: Michael Haag, Splunk
status: production
type: TTP
description: The following analytic detects the Microsoft Software Licensing User Interface Tool (`slui.exe`) spawning a child process. This behavior is identified using Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) telemetry, focusing on process creation events where `slui.exe` is the parent process. This activity is significant because `slui.exe` should not typically spawn child processes, and doing so may indicate a UAC bypass attempt, leading to elevated privileges. If confirmed malicious, an attacker could leverage this to execute code with elevated privileges, potentially compromising the system's security and gaining unauthorized access.
data_source:
    - Sysmon EventID 1
    - Windows Event Log Security 4688
    - CrowdStrike ProcessRollup2
search: |-
    | tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime FROM datamodel=Endpoint.Processes
      WHERE Processes.parent_process_name=slui.exe AND NOT Processes.process_name=slui.exe
      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)`
    | `slui_spawning_a_process_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: Certain applications may spawn from `slui.exe` that are legitimate. Filtering will be needed to ensure proper monitoring.
references:
    - https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/46998
    - https://www.rapid7.com/db/modules/exploit/windows/local/bypassuac_sluihijack/
    - https://www.mandiant.com/resources/shining-a-light-on-darkside-ransomware-operations
drilldown_searches:
    - name: View the detection results for - "$dest$" and "$user$"
      search: '%original_detection_search% | search  dest = "$dest$" user = "$user$"'
      earliest_offset: $info_min_time$
      latest_offset: $info_max_time$
    - name: View risk events for the last 7 days for - "$dest$" and "$user$"
      search: '| from datamodel Risk.All_Risk | search normalized_risk_object IN ("$dest$", "$user$") 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 slui process $parent_process_name$ spawning child process $process_name$ on host $dest$
    risk_objects:
        - field: dest
          type: system
          score: 50
        - field: user
          type: user
          score: 50
    threat_objects: []
tags:
    analytic_story:
        - DarkSide Ransomware
        - Compromised Windows Host
        - Windows Defense Evasion Tactics
    asset_type: Endpoint
    mitre_attack_id:
        - T1548.002
    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/T1548.002/slui/windows-sysmon.log
          source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational
          sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog