splunk_escuHunting

Windows Debugger Tool Execution

This analysis detects the use of debugger tools within a production environment. While these tools are legitimate for file analysis and debugging, they are abused by malware like PlugX and DarkGate for malicious DLL side-loading. The hunting query aids Security Operations Centers (SOCs) in identifying potentially suspicious tool executions, particularly for non-technical users in the production network.

MITRE ATT&CK

T1036

defense-evasion

Detection Query

| tstats `security_content_summariesonly` min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime FROM datamodel=Endpoint.Processes
  WHERE Processes.process_name = "x32dbg.exe"
    OR
    Processes.process_name = "x64dbg.exe"
    OR
    Processes.process_name = "windbg.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)`
| `windows_debugger_tool_execution_filter`

Author

Teoderick Contreras, Splunk

Created

2026-02-25

Data Sources

Sysmon EventID 1Windows Event Log Security 4688CrowdStrike ProcessRollup2

References

Tags

DarkGate MalwarePlugX

Raw Content

name: Windows Debugger Tool Execution
id: e14d94a3-07fb-4b47-8406-f5e37180d422
version: 7
date: '2026-02-25'
author: Teoderick Contreras, Splunk
data_source:
    - Sysmon EventID 1
    - Windows Event Log Security 4688
    - CrowdStrike ProcessRollup2
type: Hunting
status: production
description: This analysis detects the use of debugger tools within a production environment. While these tools are legitimate for file analysis and debugging, they are abused by malware like PlugX and DarkGate for malicious DLL side-loading. The hunting query aids Security Operations Centers (SOCs) in identifying potentially suspicious tool executions, particularly for non-technical users in the production network.
search: |-
    | tstats `security_content_summariesonly` min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime FROM datamodel=Endpoint.Processes
      WHERE Processes.process_name = "x32dbg.exe"
        OR
        Processes.process_name = "x64dbg.exe"
        OR
        Processes.process_name = "windbg.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)`
    | `windows_debugger_tool_execution_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: administrator or IT professional may execute this application for verifying files or debugging application.
references:
    - https://www.splunk.com/en_us/blog/security/enter-the-gates-an-analysis-of-the-darkgate-autoit-loader.html
    - https://www.trendmicro.com/en_us/research/23/b/investigating-the-plugx-trojan-disguised-as-a-legitimate-windows.html
tags:
    analytic_story:
        - DarkGate Malware
        - PlugX
    asset_type: Endpoint
    mitre_attack_id:
        - T1036
    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/T1036/debugger_execution/debugger.log
          source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational
          sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog