false positives will be limited to legitimate applications creating a task to run as system. filter as needed based on parent process, or modify the query to have world writeable paths to restrict it.

Techniques

T1053.005

Sample rules

Windows Schtasks Create Run As System

source: splunk
technicques:
- T1053.005

Description

The following analytic detects the creation of a new scheduled task using Schtasks.exe to run as the SYSTEM user. This detection leverages data from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agents, focusing on command-line executions and process details. This activity is significant as it often indicates an attempt to gain elevated privileges or maintain persistence within the environment. If confirmed malicious, an attacker could execute code with SYSTEM-level privileges, potentially leading to data theft, ransomware deployment, or further system compromise. Immediate investigation and mitigation are crucial to prevent further damage.

Detection logic


| tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime from datamodel=Endpoint.Processes where `process_schtasks` Processes.process="*/create *" AND Processes.process="*/ru *" AND Processes.process="*system*" 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_schtasks_create_run_as_system_filter`