Unusual Process For MSSQL Service Accounts

Status: production
Kind: building block (feeds higher-level correlation rules; not a standalone alert)
Severity: low
Time window: 9m
Author: Elastic
Source: github.com/elastic/detection-rules

Identifies unusual process executions using MSSQL Service accounts, which can indicate the exploitation/compromise of SQL instances. Attackers may exploit exposed MSSQL instances for initial access or lateral movement.

MITRE ATT&CK coverage

Tactic	Techniques
Initial Access	`T1190` Exploit Public-Facing Application
Execution	`T1059` Command and Scripting Interpreter
Persistence	`T1505.001` Server Software Component: SQL Stored Procedures
Lateral Movement	`T1210` Exploitation of Remote Services

Event coverage

Provider	Event	Title
Sysmon	Event ID 1	Process creation
Security-Auditing	Event ID 4688	A new process has been created.

Rule body elastic

[metadata]
bypass_bbr_timing = true
creation_date = "2023/08/25"
integration = ["endpoint"]
maturity = "production"
updated_date = "2026/03/24"

[rule]
author = ["Elastic"]
building_block_type = "default"
description = """
Identifies unusual process executions using MSSQL Service accounts, which can indicate the exploitation/compromise of
SQL instances. Attackers may exploit exposed MSSQL instances for initial access or lateral movement.
"""
from = "now-9m"
index = ["logs-endpoint.events.process-*"]
language = "eql"
license = "Elastic License v2"
name = "Unusual Process For MSSQL Service Accounts"
references = [
    "https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2023/08/24/flax-typhoon-using-legitimate-software-to-quietly-access-taiwanese-organizations/",
    "https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/database-engine/configure-windows/configure-windows-service-accounts-and-permissions?view=sql-server-ver16",
]
risk_score = 21
rule_id = "e74d645b-fec6-431e-bf93-ca64a538e0de"
severity = "low"
tags = [
    "Domain: Endpoint",
    "OS: Windows",
    "Use Case: Threat Detection",
    "Tactic: Lateral Movement",
    "Tactic: Persistence",
    "Data Source: Elastic Defend",
    "Rule Type: BBR",
]
timestamp_override = "event.ingested"
type = "eql"

query = '''
process where event.type == "start" and host.os.type == "windows" and
  user.name : (
    "SQLSERVERAGENT", "SQLAGENT$*",
    "MSSQLSERVER", "MSSQL$*",
    "MSSQLServerOLAPService",
    "ReportServer*", "MsDtsServer150",
    "MSSQLFDLauncher*",
    "SQLServer2005SQLBrowserUser$*",
    "SQLWriter", "winmgmt"
  ) and user.domain : "NT SERVICE" and
  not (
    (
      process.name : (
        "sqlceip.exe", "sqlservr.exe", "sqlagent.exe",
        "msmdsrv.exe", "ReportingServicesService.exe",
        "MsDtsSrvr.exe", "sqlbrowser.exe", "DTExec.exe",
        "SQLPS.exe", "fdhost.exe", "fdlauncher.exe",
        "SqlDumper.exe", "sqlsqm.exe", "DatabaseMail.exe",
        "ISServerExec.exe", "Microsoft.ReportingServices.Portal.WebHost.exe",
        "bcp.exe", "SQLCMD.exe", "DatabaseMail.exe"
      ) or
      process.executable : (
        "?:\\Windows\\System32\\wermgr.exe",
        "?:\\Windows\\System32\\conhost.exe",
        "?:\\Windows\\System32\\WerFault.exe"
      )
    ) and
    (
      process.code_signature.subject_name : ("Microsoft Corporation", "Microsoft Windows") and
      process.code_signature.trusted == true
    )
  ) and
  not (
    (process.name : "cmd.exe" and process.parent.name : "sqlservr.exe") or
    (process.name : "cmd.exe" and process.parent.name : "forfiles.exe" and process.command_line : "/c echo *")
  )
'''


[[rule.threat]]
framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"

[[rule.threat.technique]]
id = "T1210"
name = "Exploitation of Remote Services"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1210/"

[rule.threat.tactic]
id = "TA0008"
name = "Lateral Movement"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0008/"

[[rule.threat]]
framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"

[[rule.threat.technique]]
id = "T1505"
name = "Server Software Component"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1505/"

[[rule.threat.technique.subtechnique]]
id = "T1505.001"
name = "SQL Stored Procedures"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1505/001/"

[rule.threat.tactic]
id = "TA0003"
name = "Persistence"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0003/"

[[rule.threat]]
framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"

[[rule.threat.technique]]
id = "T1059"
name = "Command and Scripting Interpreter"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/"

[rule.threat.tactic]
id = "TA0002"
name = "Execution"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0002/"

[[rule.threat]]
framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"

[[rule.threat.technique]]
id = "T1190"
name = "Exploit Public-Facing Application"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1190/"

[rule.threat.tactic]
id = "TA0001"
name = "Initial Access"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0001/"

Stages and Predicates

Stage 1: `process`

process where event.type == "start" and host.os.type == "windows" and
  user.name : (
    "SQLSERVERAGENT", "SQLAGENT$*",
    "MSSQLSERVER", "MSSQL$*",
    "MSSQLServerOLAPService",
    "ReportServer*", "MsDtsServer150",
    "MSSQLFDLauncher*",
    "SQLServer2005SQLBrowserUser$*",
    "SQLWriter", "winmgmt"
  ) and user.domain : "NT SERVICE" and
  not (
    (
      process.name : (
        "sqlceip.exe", "sqlservr.exe", "sqlagent.exe",
        "msmdsrv.exe", "ReportingServicesService.exe",
        "MsDtsSrvr.exe", "sqlbrowser.exe", "DTExec.exe",
        "SQLPS.exe", "fdhost.exe", "fdlauncher.exe",
        "SqlDumper.exe", "sqlsqm.exe", "DatabaseMail.exe",
        "ISServerExec.exe", "Microsoft.ReportingServices.Portal.WebHost.exe",
        "bcp.exe", "SQLCMD.exe", "DatabaseMail.exe"
      ) or
      process.executable : (
        "?:\\Windows\\System32\\wermgr.exe",
        "?:\\Windows\\System32\\conhost.exe",
        "?:\\Windows\\System32\\WerFault.exe"
      )
    ) and
    (
      process.code_signature.subject_name : ("Microsoft Corporation", "Microsoft Windows") and
      process.code_signature.trusted == true
    )
  ) and
  not (
    (process.name : "cmd.exe" and process.parent.name : "sqlservr.exe") or
    (process.name : "cmd.exe" and process.parent.name : "forfiles.exe" and process.command_line : "/c echo *")
  )

Exclusions

Top-level NOT(...) conjuncts: predicates this rule actively suppresses.

Field	Kind	Excluded values
`process.command_line`	starts_with	`/c echo`
`process.name`	eq	`cmd.exe`
`process.parent.name`	eq	`forfiles.exe`
`process.name`	eq	`cmd.exe`
`process.parent.name`	eq	`sqlservr.exe`
`process.executable`	eq	`?:\Windows\System32\wermgr.exe`, `?:\Windows\System32\conhost.exe`, `?:\Windows\System32\WerFault.exe`
`process.name`	eq	`sqlceip.exe`, `sqlservr.exe`, `sqlagent.exe`, `msmdsrv.exe`, `ReportingServicesService.exe`, `MsDtsSrvr.exe`, `sqlbrowser.exe`, `DTExec.exe`, `SQLPS.exe`, `fdhost.exe`, `fdlauncher.exe`, `SqlDumper.exe`, `sqlsqm.exe`, `DatabaseMail.exe`, `ISServerExec.exe`, `Microsoft.ReportingServices.Portal.WebHost.exe`, `bcp.exe`, `SQLCMD.exe`, `DatabaseMail.exe`
`process.code_signature.subject_name`	eq	`Microsoft Corporation`, `Microsoft Windows`
`process.code_signature.trusted`	eq	`true`

Indicators

Each row is a field, operator, and value that the rule matches. The corpus column counts how many other rules in the catalog look for the same combination: high numbers point to widely-used, community-vetted indicators. Blank or 1 shows that the indicator is specific to this rule.

Field	Kind	Values
`event.type`	eq	`start` corpus 606 (elastic 606)
`user.domain`	wildcard	`NT SERVICE`
`user.name`	wildcard	`MSSQL$` `MSSQLFDLauncher` `MSSQLSERVER` `MSSQLServerOLAPService` `MsDtsServer150` `ReportServer` `SQLAGENT$` `SQLSERVERAGENT` `SQLServer2005SQLBrowserUser$*` `SQLWriter` `winmgmt`

`j` / `k`	Scroll down / up
`d` / `u`	Half-page down / up
`gg` / `G`	Top / bottom
`h` / `l`	History back / forward
`f`	Follow link (`Shift` = new tab)
`/`	Focus search
`?`	Toggle this help
`↑` / `↓`	Navigate search results
`Enter`	Open highlighted result
`Esc`	Close results / dialog

`type:`	`events` / `rules` / `providers`
`vendor:`	`sigma` / `elastic` / `splunk` / `kusto` / `chronicle` (vendor name alone also works: `sigma:`, `kql:`, `secops:`…)
`tactic:`	TA-id, slug, or name: `credential_access`, `TA0006`
`technique:`	technique or sub-technique ID: `T1003`, `T1003.001` (alias `tech:`)
`severity:`	`critical` / `high` / `medium` / `low` / `informational` (alias `sev:`)
`risk_score`	Numeric comparison on the Elastic risk score (0 to 100): `risk_score>50`, `risk_score<=20`, `risk_score=99` (alias `risk`; Elastic rules only)
`stages:`	Rules with exactly N pipeline stages
`correlation:`	`single_event` / `sequence` / `alternatives` / `alternatives_cross_log` / `all_required` / `correlated`
`with:`	Co-occurrence event-id; stacks (`with:4624 with:4769`) to require all, while a comma list in one occurrence (`with:4624,4769`) is an either-or group. Implies multi-event
`like:`	Structural neighbors of a rule slug (equivalents + subsumption stricter / broader): `like:comsvcs_lsass_memory_dump-splunk-sysmon`
`groupby:`	Entity-grouping substring match against `group_by_keys`: `groupby:user`, `groupby:host`
`uses:`	Rules whose predicate tree touches the field (any kind, any value): `uses:CommandLine`
`excludes:`	Rules with top-level `not()` clauses on the field (FP whitelists): `excludes:ParentImage`
`field:` / `value:`	Predicate search; narrows rule cards to those with a matching leaf and drives the indicator tier. Unquoted = substring, wildcards allowed (`value:mimikatz`)
`indicator:`	Shorthand for `field:F value:V`: `indicator:Image=*\powershell.exe`
`kind:`	Filter by predicate kind. Narrows rule cards to those carrying a matching predicate leaf (`vendor:elastic kind:cidr_match`) and drives the indicator tier: `contains` / `starts_with` / `ends_with` / `regex` / `cidr` / `eq` / `in` … (operator aliases `op:`/`match:`)
`has:` / `no:`	`sample`, `field`, `notes`, `refs`, `trace`, `thirdparty`, `rule`, `pattern`, `timewindow`, `threshold`, `newterms`, `sigma`/`elastic`/`splunk`/`kusto`/`chronicle`
`-op:val`	Exclude matches; works on most operators but not `type:`/`like:`/`has:`/`no:` (use `no:<flag>` to exclude a rule flag): `tactic:execution -vendor:splunk`. Standalone `-kind:`/`-field:`/`-value:` drop every rule carrying a matching predicate leaf (`type:rules -kind:is_null`)
`field:"…"` / `value:"…"`	Quoted value = anchored exact match (also allows spaces): `value:"net user"`
`a,b`	Comma = OR inside one operator (`vendor:sigma,elastic`, `severity:high,critical`); repeating a facet merges the same way. `field:`/`value:` never split (literal commas)
`vendors:` / `stage:`	Singular and plural spellings fold to the canonical operator and value: `tactics:` = `tactic:`, `type:event` = `type:events`, `correlation:sequences` = `correlation:sequence`, `has:thresholds` = `has:threshold`
`"quoted phrase"`	Exact-match a multi-word phrase (free text)

Unusual Process For MSSQL Service Accounts

MITRE ATT&CK coverage

Event coverage

Rule body elastic

Stages and Predicates

Stage 1: `process`

Exclusions

Indicators

Keyboard shortcuts

Search operators

Unusual Process For MSSQL Service Accounts

MITRE ATT&CK coverage

Event coverage

Rule body elastic

Stages and Predicates

Stage 1: process

Exclusions

Indicators

Stage 1: `process`