Detection rules › Sigma

Active Directory Replication from Non Machine Account - DcSync Indicator

Status
test
Severity
medium
Log source
product windows, service security
Author
Roberto Rodriguez @Cyb3rWard0g
Source
github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma

Detects potential abuse of Active Directory Replication Service (ADRS) from a non machine account to request credentials.

MITRE ATT&CK coverage

TacticTechniques
Credential Access

Telemetry coverage

Rule body

title: Active Directory Replication from Non Machine Account - DcSync Indicator
id: 17d619c1-e020-4347-957e-1d1207455c93
related:
    - id: 611eab06-a145-4dfa-a295-3ccc5c20f59a # Suspicious Machine Account Replication - DcSync Indicator
      type: similar
status: test
description: Detects potential abuse of Active Directory Replication Service (ADRS) from a non machine account to request credentials.
references:
    - https://threathunterplaybook.com/hunts/windows/180815-ADObjectAccessReplication/notebook.html
    - https://threathunterplaybook.com/library/windows/active_directory_replication.html
    - https://threathunterplaybook.com/hunts/windows/190101-ADModDirectoryReplication/notebook.html
author: Roberto Rodriguez @Cyb3rWard0g
date: 2019-07-26
modified: 2026-07-30
tags:
    - attack.credential-access
    - attack.t1003.006
logsource:
    product: windows
    service: security
    definition: |
        Requirements: A SACL must be configured on the domain NC root object (e.g. DC=domain,DC=com)
        to generate Event 4662. Add via ADSI Edit: navigate to the domain NC root → Properties →
        Security → Advanced → Auditing → add an ACE for Everyone, Type: Success, Applies to:
        This object only, rights: DS-Replication-Get-Changes and DS-Replication-Get-Changes-All.
        The OS audit subcategory must also be enabled:
        auditpol /set /subcategory:"Directory Service Access" /success:enable
detection:
    selection:
        EventID: 4662
        Properties|contains:
            - '1131f6ad-9c07-11d1-f79f-00c04fc2dcd2' # DS-Replication-Get-Changes-All
            - '1131f6aa-9c07-11d1-f79f-00c04fc2dcd2' # DS-Replication-Get-Changes
            - '9923a32a-3607-11d2-b9be-0000f87a36b2' # DS-Replication-Synchronize
            - '89e95b76-444d-4c62-991a-0facbeda640c' # DS-Replication-Get-Changes-In-Filtered-Set
    filter_main_machine_accounts:
        SubjectUserName|endswith: '$'
    filter_optional_subject_domain:
        SubjectDomainName: 'Window Manager'
    filter_optional_subject_usersid:
        SubjectUserName|startswith:
            - 'NT AUT'
            - 'MSOL_' # https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/identity/hybrid/connect/reference-connect-accounts-permissions#ad-ds-connector-account
    condition: selection and not 1 of filter_main_* and not 1 of filter_optional_*
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: medium

Stages and Predicates

Stage 0: condition

selection and not 1 of filter_main_* and not 1 of filter_optional_*

Stage 1: selection

selection:
    EventID: 4662
    Properties|contains:
        - '1131f6ad-9c07-11d1-f79f-00c04fc2dcd2'
        - '1131f6aa-9c07-11d1-f79f-00c04fc2dcd2'
        - '9923a32a-3607-11d2-b9be-0000f87a36b2'
        - '89e95b76-444d-4c62-991a-0facbeda640c'

Stage 2: not filter_main_machine_accounts

filter_main_machine_accounts:
    SubjectUserName|endswith: '$'

Stage 3: not filter_optional_*

filter_optional_subject_domain:
    SubjectDomainName: 'Window Manager'
filter_optional_subject_usersid:
    SubjectUserName|startswith:
        - 'NT AUT'
        - 'MSOL_'

Exclusions

The rule actively suppresses these predicates.

Indicators

These rows show field, operator, and value matches.

FieldKindValuesSearch
Propertiesmatch
  • 1131f6aa-9c07-11d1-f79f-00c04fc2dcd2 corpus 6 (sigma 3, elastic 2, kusto 1)
  • 1131f6ad-9c07-11d1-f79f-00c04fc2dcd2 corpus 6 (sigma 3, elastic 2, kusto 1)
  • 89e95b76-444d-4c62-991a-0facbeda640c corpus 6 (sigma 3, elastic 2, kusto 1)
  • 9923a32a-3607-11d2-b9be-0000f87a36b2 corpus 3 (sigma 3)
field:"Properties" kind:match