Web Servers Executing Suspicious Processes

name: Web Servers Executing Suspicious Processes
id: ec3b7601-689a-4463-94e0-c9f45638efb9
version: 8
date: '2026-03-10'
author: David Dorsey, Splunk
status: experimental
type: TTP
description: The following analytic detects the execution of suspicious processes on systems identified as web servers. It leverages the Splunk data model "Endpoint.Processes" to search for specific process names such as "whoami", "ping", "iptables", "wget", "service", and "curl". This activity is significant because these processes are often used by attackers for reconnaissance, persistence, or data exfiltration. If confirmed malicious, this could lead to data theft, deployment of additional malware, or even ransomware attacks. Immediate investigation is required to determine the legitimacy of the activity and mitigate potential threats.
data_source:
    - Sysmon EventID 1
search: |-
    | tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime FROM datamodel=Endpoint.Processes
      WHERE Processes.dest_category="web_server"
        AND
        (Processes.process="*whoami*"
        OR
        Processes.process="*ping*"
        OR
        Processes.process="*iptables*"
        OR
        Processes.process="*wget*"
        OR
        Processes.process="*service*"
        OR
        Processes.process="*curl*")
      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)`
    | `web_servers_executing_suspicious_processes_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: Some of these processes may be used legitimately on web servers during maintenance or other administrative tasks.
references: []
rba:
    message: Suspicious Processes observed on web server $dest$
    risk_objects:
        - field: user
          type: user
          score: 50
        - field: dest
          type: system
          score: 50
    threat_objects: []
tags:
    analytic_story:
        - Apache Struts Vulnerability
    asset_type: Web Server
    mitre_attack_id:
        - T1082
    product:
        - Splunk Enterprise
        - Splunk Enterprise Security
        - Splunk Cloud
    security_domain: endpoint