Windows ESX Admins Group Creation via PowerShell

name: Windows ESX Admins Group Creation via PowerShell
id: f48a5557-be06-4b96-b8e8-be563e387620
version: 8
date: '2026-03-10'
author: Michael Haag, Splunk
data_source:
    - Powershell Script Block Logging 4104
type: TTP
status: production
description: This analytic detects attempts to create an "ESX Admins" group using PowerShell commands. This activity may indicate an attempt to exploit the VMware ESXi Active Directory Integration Authentication Bypass vulnerability (CVE-2024-37085). Attackers can use this method to gain unauthorized access to ESXi hosts by recreating the 'ESX Admins' group after its deletion from Active Directory.
search: |-
    `powershell` EventCode=4104 (ScriptBlockText="*New-ADGroup*" OR ScriptBlockText="*New-LocalGroup*") ScriptBlockText="*ESX Admins*"
      | fillnull
      | stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime
        BY dest signature signature_id
           user_id vendor_product EventID
           Guid Opcode Name
           Path ProcessID ScriptBlockId
           ScriptBlockText
      | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)`
      | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`
      | `windows_esx_admins_group_creation_via_powershell_filter`
how_to_implement: To successfully implement this analytic, you will need to enable PowerShell Script Block Logging on some or all endpoints. You can find additional setup instructions in the Splunk documentation for configuring PowerShell logging.
known_false_positives: Legitimate administrators might create an "ESX Admins" group for valid reasons. Verify that the group creation is authorized and part of normal administrative tasks. Consider the context of the action, such as the user performing it and any related activities.
references:
    - https://support.broadcom.com/web/ecx/support-content-notification/-/external/content/SecurityAdvisories/0/24505
    - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2024/07/29/ransomware-operators-exploit-esxi-hypervisor-vulnerability-for-mass-encryption/
    - https://www.securityweek.com/microsoft-says-ransomware-gangs-exploiting-just-patched-vmware-esxi-flaw/
drilldown_searches:
    - name: View the detection results for - "$user_id$" and "$dest$"
      search: '%original_detection_search% | search  user_id = "$user_id$" dest = "$dest$"'
      earliest_offset: $info_min_time$
      latest_offset: $info_max_time$
    - name: View risk events for the last 7 days for - "$user_id$" and "$dest$"
      search: '| from datamodel Risk.All_Risk | search normalized_risk_object IN ("$user_id$", "$dest$") 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: PowerShell command to create "ESX Admins" group detected on host $dest$ by user $user_id$.
    risk_objects:
        - field: user_id
          type: user
          score: 50
        - field: dest
          type: system
          score: 50
    threat_objects: []
tags:
    analytic_story:
        - VMware ESXi AD Integration Authentication Bypass CVE-2024-37085
    asset_type: Endpoint
    mitre_attack_id:
        - T1136.002
        - T1136.001
    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/T1136.001/atomic_red_team/windows-powershell-esxadmins.log
          source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-PowerShell/Operational
          sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog