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

Sample rules

Windows Schtasks Create Run As System

source: splunk
technicques:
- T1053.005
- T1053

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.dest Processes.user Processes.parent_process_name Processes.process_name Processes.original_file_name Processes.process Processes.process_id Processes.parent_process_id 
| `drop_dm_object_name(Processes)` 
| `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` 
| `security_content_ctime(lastTime)` 
| `windows_schtasks_create_run_as_system_filter`