sigmamediumHunting

Windows Default Domain GPO Modification via GPME

Detects the use of the Group Policy Management Editor (GPME) to modify Default Domain or Default Domain Controllers Group Policy Objects (GPOs). Adversaries may leverage GPME to make stealthy changes in these default GPOs to deploy malicious GPOs configurations across the domain without raising suspicion.

MITRE ATT&CK

T1484.001

defense-evasionprivilege-escalation

Detection Query

selection_mmc:
  - Image|endswith: \mmc.exe
  - OriginalFileName: MMC.exe
selection_gpme:
  CommandLine|contains|all:
    - gpme.msc
    - "gpobject:"
selection_default_gpos:
  CommandLine|contains:
    - 31B2F340-016D-11D2-945F-00C04FB984F9
    - 6AC1786C-016F-11D2-945F-00C04FB984F9
condition: all of selection_*

Author

TropChaud

Created

2025-11-22

Data Sources

windowsProcess Creation Events

Platforms

windows

References

Tags

attack.defense-evasionattack.privilege-escalationattack.t1484.001

Raw Content

title: Windows Default Domain GPO Modification via GPME
id: dcff7e85-d01f-4eb5-badd-84e2e6be8294
related:
    - id: e5ac86dd-2da1-454b-be74-05d26c769d7d
      type: similar
status: experimental
description: |
    Detects the use of the Group Policy Management Editor (GPME) to modify Default Domain or Default Domain Controllers Group Policy Objects (GPOs).
    Adversaries may leverage GPME to make stealthy changes in these default GPOs to deploy malicious GPOs configurations across the domain without raising suspicion.
references:
    - https://www.trendmicro.com/en_us/research/25/i/unmasking-the-gentlemen-ransomware.html
    - https://adsecurity.org/?p=3377
    - https://sdmsoftware.com/general-stuff/launching-the-new-gp-management-editor-from-the-command-line/
    - https://www.pentestpartners.com/security-blog/living-off-the-land-gpo-style/
author: TropChaud
date: 2025-11-22
tags:
    - attack.defense-evasion
    - attack.privilege-escalation
    - attack.t1484.001
logsource:
    product: windows
    category: process_creation
detection:
    # "C:\Windows\System32\gpme.msc" /s /gpobject:"LDAP://<REDACTED>/cn<REDACTED>,cnpolicies,cnsystem,DC<REDACTED>,DClocal"
    selection_mmc:
        - Image|endswith: '\mmc.exe'
        - OriginalFileName: 'MMC.exe'
    selection_gpme:
        CommandLine|contains|all:
            - 'gpme.msc'
            - 'gpobject:'
    selection_default_gpos:
        CommandLine|contains:
            - '31B2F340-016D-11D2-945F-00C04FB984F9' # Default Domain Policy GUID
            - '6AC1786C-016F-11D2-945F-00C04FB984F9' # Default Domain Controllers Policy GUID
    condition: all of selection_*
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate use of GPME to modify GPOs
level: medium