Detect Certify Command Line Arguments

name: Detect Certify Command Line Arguments
id: e6d2dc61-a8b9-4b03-906c-da0ca75d71b8
version: 10
date: '2026-03-10'
author: Steven Dick
status: production
type: TTP
description: The following analytic detects the use of Certify or Certipy tools to enumerate Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS) environments. It leverages Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) data, focusing on specific command-line arguments associated with these tools. This activity is significant because it indicates potential reconnaissance or exploitation attempts targeting AD CS, which could lead to unauthorized access or privilege escalation. If confirmed malicious, attackers could gain insights into the AD CS infrastructure, potentially compromising sensitive certificates and escalating their privileges within the network.
data_source:
    - Sysmon EventID 1
    - Windows Event Log Security 4688
    - CrowdStrike ProcessRollup2
search: |-
    | tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime FROM datamodel=Endpoint.Processes
      WHERE Processes.process IN ("* find *","* auth *","* request *","* req *","* download *",)
        AND
        Processes.process IN ("* /vulnerable*","* /enrolleeSuppliesSubject *","* /json /outfile*","* /ca*", "* -username *","* -u *")
      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)`
    | `detect_certify_command_line_arguments_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: No false positives have been identified at this time.
references:
    - https://github.com/GhostPack/Certify
    - https://github.com/ly4k/Certipy
    - https://specterops.io/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/06/Certified_Pre-Owned.pdf
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: $info_max_time$
rba:
    message: Certify/Certipy arguments detected on $dest$.
    risk_objects:
        - field: dest
          type: system
          score: 50
    threat_objects:
        - field: process_name
          type: process_name
        - field: process_name
          type: process_name
tags:
    analytic_story:
        - Compromised Windows Host
        - Windows Certificate Services
        - Ingress Tool Transfer
    asset_type: Endpoint
    mitre_attack_id:
        - T1649
        - T1105
    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/T1649/certify_abuse/certify_esc1_abuse_sysmon.log
          source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational
          sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog