Powershell Using memory As Backing Store

name: Powershell Using memory As Backing Store
id: c396a0c4-c9f2-11eb-b4f5-acde48001122
version: 12
date: '2026-04-15'
author: Teoderick Contreras, Splunk
status: production
type: TTP
description: The following analytic detects suspicious PowerShell script execution using memory streams as a backing store, identified via EventCode 4104. It leverages PowerShell Script Block Logging to capture scripts that create new objects with memory streams, often used to decompress and execute payloads in memory. This activity is significant as it indicates potential in-memory execution of malicious code, bypassing traditional file-based detection. If confirmed malicious, this technique could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code, maintain persistence, or escalate privileges without leaving a trace on the disk.
data_source:
    - Powershell Script Block Logging 4104
search: |-
    `powershell` EventCode=4104 ScriptBlockText = *New-Object* ScriptBlockText = *IO.MemoryStream*
      | 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)`
      | `powershell_using_memory_as_backing_store_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: powershell may used this function to store out object into memory.
references:
    - https://web.archive.org/web/20201112031711/https://www.carbonblack.com/blog/decoding-malicious-powershell-streams/
    - 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.
    - https://blog.palantir.com/tampering-with-windows-event-tracing-background-offense-and-defense-4be7ac62ac63
    - https://static1.squarespace.com/static/552092d5e4b0661088167e5c/t/59c1814829f18782e24f1fe2/1505853768977/Windows+PowerShell+Logging+Cheat+Sheet+ver+Sept+2017+v2.1.pdf
    - https://www.crowdstrike.com/blog/investigating-powershell-command-and-script-logging/
    - https://thedfirreport.com/2023/05/22/icedid-macro-ends-in-nokoyawa-ransomware/
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 ("$dest$", "$user_id$") | 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: 7d
      latest_offset: "0"
rba:
    message: A PowerShell script contains memorystream command on host $dest$.
    risk_objects:
        - field: dest
          type: system
          score: 50
        - field: user_id
          type: user
          score: 50
    threat_objects: []
tags:
    analytic_story:
        - Data Destruction
        - MoonPeak
        - Medusa Ransomware
        - Hermetic Wiper
        - IcedID
        - Malicious PowerShell
    asset_type: Endpoint
    mitre_attack_id:
        - T1059.001
    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/honeypots/pwsh/windows-powershell-xml.log
          source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-PowerShell/Operational
          sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog