false positives may be present from automation based applications (sccm), filtering may be required. in addition, break the query out based on volume of usage. filter process names or file paths.

Techniques

T1546.003

Sample rules

Windows MOF Event Triggered Execution via WMI

source: splunk
technicques:
- T1546.003

Description

The following analytic detects the execution of MOFComp.exe loading a MOF file, often triggered by cmd.exe or powershell.exe, or from unusual paths like User Profile directories. It leverages Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) data, focusing on process names, parent processes, and command-line executions. This activity is significant as it may indicate an attacker using WMI for persistence or lateral movement. If confirmed malicious, it could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code, maintain persistence, or escalate privileges within the environment.

Detection logic


| tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime from datamodel=Endpoint.Processes where (Processes.parent_process_name IN ("cmd.exe", "powershell.exe") Processes.process_name=mofcomp.exe) OR (Processes.process_name=mofcomp.exe Processes.process IN ("*\\AppData\\Local\\*","*\\Users\\Public\\*")) 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_mof_event_triggered_execution_via_wmi_filter`