Detect Remote Access Software Usage FileInfo

name: Detect Remote Access Software Usage FileInfo
id: ccad96d7-a48c-4f13-8b9c-9f6a31cba454
version: 13
date: '2026-03-10'
author: Steven Dick
status: production
type: Anomaly
description: The following analytic detects the execution of processes with file or code signing attributes from known remote access software within the environment. It leverages Sysmon EventCode 1 data and cross-references a lookup table of remote access utilities such as AnyDesk, GoToMyPC, LogMeIn, and TeamViewer. This activity is significant as adversaries often use these tools to maintain unauthorized remote access. If confirmed malicious, this could allow attackers to persist in the environment, potentially leading to data exfiltration or further compromise of the network.
data_source:
    - Sysmon EventID 1
search: |-
    `sysmon` EventCode=1
      | stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime, values(Company) as Company values(Product) as Product
        BY action dest original_file_name
           parent_process parent_process_exec parent_process_guid
           parent_process_id parent_process_name parent_process_path
           process process_exec process_guid
           process_hash process_id process_integrity_level
           process_name process_path user
           user_id vendor_product
      | lookup remote_access_software remote_utility_fileinfo AS Product OUTPUT isutility, description as signature, comment_reference as desc, category
      | search isutility = True
      | `remote_access_software_usage_exceptions`
      | `detect_remote_access_software_usage_fileinfo_filter`
how_to_implement: This analytic relies on Sysmon to be properly installed and utilized in the environment. Ensure that proper logging is setup for Sysmon and data is being ingested into Splunk. The "exceptions" macro leverages both an Assets and Identities lookup, as well as a KVStore collection named "remote_software_exceptions" that lets you track and maintain device-based exceptions for this set of detections.
known_false_positives: Known or approved applications used by the organization or usage of built-in functions. Known false positives can be added to the remote_access_software_usage_exception.csv lookup to globally suppress these situations across all remote access content
references:
    - https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1219/
    - https://thedfirreport.com/2022/08/08/bumblebee-roasts-its-way-to-domain-admin/
    - https://thedfirreport.com/2022/11/28/emotet-strikes-again-lnk-file-leads-to-domain-wide-ransomware/
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: $info_max_time$
    - name: Investigate processes on $dest$
      search: '| from datamodel:Endpoint.Processes| search dest=$dest$ process_name=$process_name$'
      earliest_offset: $info_min_time$
      latest_offset: $info_max_time$
rba:
    message: A file attributes for known a remote access software [$process_name$] was detected on $dest$
    risk_objects:
        - field: dest
          type: system
          score: 20
        - field: user
          type: user
          score: 20
    threat_objects:
        - field: process_name
          type: process_name
        - field: signature
          type: signature
tags:
    analytic_story:
        - Insider Threat
        - Command And Control
        - Ransomware
        - Gozi Malware
        - Remote Monitoring and Management Software
        - Cactus Ransomware
        - Seashell Blizzard
        - Scattered Spider
        - Interlock Ransomware
        - Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters
    asset_type: Endpoint
    mitre_attack_id:
        - T1219
    product:
        - Splunk Enterprise
        - Splunk Enterprise Security
        - Splunk Cloud
    security_domain: endpoint
    manual_test: This detection uses A&I lookups from Enterprise Security.
tests:
    - name: True Positive Test
      attack_data:
        - data: https://media.githubusercontent.com/media/splunk/attack_data/master/datasets/attack_techniques/T1219/screenconnect/screenconnect_sysmon.log
          source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational
          sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog