Techniques
Sample rules
Windows InstallUtil Uninstall Option
- source: splunk
- technicques:
- T1218.004
Description
The following analytic detects the use of the Windows InstallUtil.exe binary with the /u (uninstall) switch, which can execute code while bypassing application control. This detection leverages data from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agents, focusing on process names, parent processes, and command-line executions. This activity is significant because it can indicate an attempt to execute malicious code without administrative privileges. If confirmed malicious, an attacker could achieve code execution, potentially leading to further system compromise or persistence within the environment.
Detection logic
| tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime from datamodel=Endpoint.Processes where `process_installutil` Processes.process IN ("*/u*", "*uninstall*") NOT (Processes.process IN ("*C:\\WINDOWS\\CCM\\*")) NOT (Processes.parent_process_name IN ("Microsoft.SharePoint.Migration.ClientInstaller.exe")) 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_installutil_uninstall_option_filter`