splunk_escuAnomaly

WMI Recon Running Process Or Services

The following analytic identifies suspicious PowerShell script execution via EventCode 4104, where WMI performs an event query to list running processes or services. This detection leverages PowerShell Script Block Logging to capture and analyze script block text for specific WMI queries. This activity is significant as it is commonly used by malware and APT actors to map security applications or services on a compromised machine. If confirmed malicious, this could allow attackers to identify and potentially disable security defenses, facilitating further compromise and persistence within the environment.

MITRE ATT&CK

T1592

Detection Query

`powershell` EventCode=4104 ScriptBlockText= "*SELECT*" AND (ScriptBlockText="*Win32_Process*" OR ScriptBlockText="*Win32_Service*")
  | fillnull
  | stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime
    BY dest signature signature_id
       user_id vendor_product EventID
       Guid Opcode Name
       Path ProcessID ScriptBlockId
       ScriptBlockText
  | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)`
  | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`
  | `wmi_recon_running_process_or_services_filter`

Author

Teoderick Contreras, Splunk

Created

2026-03-10

Data Sources

Powershell Script Block Logging 4104

References

Tags

Malicious PowerShellHermetic WiperData Destruction

Raw Content

name: WMI Recon Running Process Or Services
id: b5cd5526-cce7-11eb-b3bd-acde48001122
version: 11
date: '2026-03-10'
author: Teoderick Contreras, Splunk
status: production
type: Anomaly
description: The following analytic identifies suspicious PowerShell script execution via EventCode 4104, where WMI performs an event query to list running processes or services. This detection leverages PowerShell Script Block Logging to capture and analyze script block text for specific WMI queries. This activity is significant as it is commonly used by malware and APT actors to map security applications or services on a compromised machine. If confirmed malicious, this could allow attackers to identify and potentially disable security defenses, facilitating further compromise and persistence within the environment.
data_source:
    - Powershell Script Block Logging 4104
search: |-
    `powershell` EventCode=4104 ScriptBlockText= "*SELECT*" AND (ScriptBlockText="*Win32_Process*" OR ScriptBlockText="*Win32_Service*")
      | fillnull
      | stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime
        BY dest signature signature_id
           user_id vendor_product EventID
           Guid Opcode Name
           Path ProcessID ScriptBlockId
           ScriptBlockText
      | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)`
      | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`
      | `wmi_recon_running_process_or_services_filter`
how_to_implement: To successfully implement this analytic, you will need to enable PowerShell Script Block Logging on some or all endpoints. Additional setup here https://help.splunk.com/en/security-offerings/splunk-user-behavior-analytics/get-data-in/5.4.1/add-other-data-to-splunk-uba/configure-powershell-logging-to-see-powershell-anomalies-in-splunk-uba.
known_false_positives: Network administrator may used this command for checking purposes
references:
    - https://news.sophos.com/en-us/2020/05/12/maze-ransomware-1-year-counting/
    - https://www.eideon.com/2018-03-02-THL03-WMIBackdoors/
    - https://github.com/trustedsec/SysmonCommunityGuide/blob/master/chapters/WMI-events.md
    - https://in.security/2019/04/03/an-intro-into-abusing-and-identifying-wmi-event-subscriptions-for-persistence/
drilldown_searches:
    - name: View the detection results for - "$dest$" and "$user_id$"
      search: '%original_detection_search% | search  dest = "$dest$" user_id = "$user_id$"'
      earliest_offset: $info_min_time$
      latest_offset: $info_max_time$
    - name: View risk events for the last 7 days for - "$dest$" and "$user_id$"
      search: '| from datamodel Risk.All_Risk | search normalized_risk_object IN ("$dest$", "$user_id$") 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: Suspicious powerShell script execution by $user_id$ on $dest$ via EventCode 4104, where WMI is performing an event query looking for running processes or running services
    risk_objects:
        - field: dest
          type: system
          score: 20
        - field: user_id
          type: user
          score: 20
    threat_objects: []
tags:
    analytic_story:
        - Malicious PowerShell
        - Hermetic Wiper
        - Data Destruction
    asset_type: Endpoint
    mitre_attack_id:
        - T1592
    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/T1059.001/powershell_script_block_logging/win32process.log
          source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-PowerShell/Operational
          sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog