Windows Default Group Policy Object Modified with GPME

name: Windows Default Group Policy Object Modified with GPME
id: eaf688b3-bb8f-454d-b105-920a862cd8cb
version: 11
date: '2026-03-10'
author: Mauricio Velazco, Splunk
status: production
type: TTP
data_source:
    - Sysmon EventID 1
    - Windows Event Log Security 4688
    - CrowdStrike ProcessRollup2
description: The following analytic detects modifications to default Group Policy Objects (GPOs) using the Group Policy Management Editor (GPME). It leverages the Endpoint data model to identify processes where `mmc.exe` executes `gpme.msc` with specific GUIDs related to default GPOs. This activity is significant because default GPOs, such as the `Default Domain Controllers Policy` and `Default Domain Policy`, are critical for enforcing security policies across the domain. If malicious, such modifications could allow an attacker to gain further access, establish persistence, or deploy malware across numerous hosts, severely compromising the network's security.
search: |-
    | tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime FROM datamodel=Endpoint.Processes
      WHERE Processes.process_name=mmc.exe (Processes.process =*gpme.msc*)
        AND
        (Processes.process = "*31B2F340-016D-11D2-945F-00C04FB984F9*"
        OR
        Processes.process = "*6AC1786C-016F-11D2-945F-00C04fB984F9*"  )
      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_default_group_policy_object_modified_with_gpme_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: The default Group Policy Objects within an AD network may be legitimately updated for administrative operations, filter as needed.
references:
    - https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1484/
    - https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1484/001
    - https://www.trustedsec.com/blog/weaponizing-group-policy-objects-access/
    - https://adsecurity.org/?p=2716
    - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/it-pro/windows-server-2012-r2-and-2012/dn265969(v=ws.11)
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: A default group policy object was opened with Group Policy Manage Editor on $dest$
    risk_objects:
        - field: dest
          type: system
          score: 50
    threat_objects:
        - field: parent_process_name
          type: parent_process_name
        - field: process_name
          type: process_name
tags:
    analytic_story:
        - Active Directory Privilege Escalation
        - Sneaky Active Directory Persistence Tricks
    asset_type: Endpoint
    mitre_attack_id:
        - T1484.001
    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/attack_techniques/T1484.001/default_domain_policy_modified/windows-security.log
          source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational
          sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog