Detection rules › Splunk
Windows Account Discovery for None Disable User Account
The following analytic detects the execution of the PowerView PowerShell cmdlet Get-NetUser with the UACFilter parameter set to NOT_ACCOUNTDISABLE, indicating an attempt to enumerate Active Directory user accounts that are not disabled. This detection leverages PowerShell Script Block Logging (EventCode 4104) to identify the specific script block text. Monitoring this activity is significant as it may indicate reconnaissance efforts by an attacker to identify active user accounts for further exploitation. If confirmed malicious, this activity could lead to unauthorized access, privilege escalation, or lateral movement within the network.
MITRE ATT&CK coverage
| Tactic | Techniques |
|---|---|
| Discovery | T1087.001 Account Discovery: Local Account |
Event coverage
| Provider | Event | Title |
|---|---|---|
| PowerShell | Event ID 4104 | Creating Scriptblock text (MessageNumber of MessageTotal). |
Rule body splunk
name: Windows Account Discovery for None Disable User Account
id: eddbf5ba-b89e-47ca-995e-2d259804e55e
version: 11
creation_date: '2024-01-10'
modification_date: '2026-05-13'
author: Teoderick Contreras, Splunk
status: production
type: Hunting
description: The following analytic detects the execution of the PowerView PowerShell cmdlet Get-NetUser with the UACFilter parameter set to NOT_ACCOUNTDISABLE, indicating an attempt to enumerate Active Directory user accounts that are not disabled. This detection leverages PowerShell Script Block Logging (EventCode 4104) to identify the specific script block text. Monitoring this activity is significant as it may indicate reconnaissance efforts by an attacker to identify active user accounts for further exploitation. If confirmed malicious, this activity could lead to unauthorized access, privilege escalation, or lateral movement within the network.
data_source:
- Powershell Script Block Logging 4104
search: |-
`powershell` EventCode=4104 ScriptBlockText = "*Get-NetUser*" ScriptBlockText = "*NOT_ACCOUNTDISABLE*" ScriptBlockText = "*-UACFilter*"
| fillnull
| stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime
BY dest signature signature_id
user_id vendor_product EventID
Guid Opcode Name
Path ProcessID ScriptBlockId
ScriptBlockText
| `security_content_ctime(firstTime)`
| `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`
| `windows_account_discovery_for_none_disable_user_account_filter`
how_to_implement: To successfully implement this analytic, you will need to enable PowerShell Script Block Logging on some or all endpoints. Additional setup here https://help.splunk.com/en/security-offerings/splunk-user-behavior-analytics/get-data-in/5.4.1/add-other-data-to-splunk-uba/configure-powershell-logging-to-see-powershell-anomalies-in-splunk-uba.=
known_false_positives: Administrators may leverage PowerView for legitimate purposes, filter as needed.
references:
- https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/cybersecurity-advisories/aa23-347a
- https://powersploit.readthedocs.io/en/stable/Recon/README/
- https://book.hacktricks.xyz/windows-hardening/basic-powershell-for-pentesters/powerview
- https://atomicredteam.io/discovery/T1087.001/
analytic_story:
- CISA AA23-347A
asset_type: Endpoint
mitre_attack_id:
- T1087.001
product:
- Splunk Enterprise
- Splunk Enterprise Security
- Splunk Cloud
category: endpoint
security_domain: endpoint
tests:
- name: True Positive Test
attack_data:
- data: https://media.githubusercontent.com/media/splunk/attack_data/master/datasets/attack_techniques/T1087/powerview_get_netuser_preauthnotrequire/get-netuser-not-require-pwh.log
source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-PowerShell/Operational
sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog
test_type: unit
Stages and Predicates
Stage 1: search
`powershell` EventCode=4104 ScriptBlockText = "*Get-NetUser*" ScriptBlockText = "*NOT_ACCOUNTDISABLE*" ScriptBlockText = "*-UACFilter*"
Stage 2: fillnull
| fillnull
Stage 3: stats
| stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime
BY dest signature signature_id
user_id vendor_product EventID
Guid Opcode Name
Path ProcessID ScriptBlockId
ScriptBlockText
Stage 4: search
| `security_content_ctime(firstTime)`
Stage 5: search
| `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`
Stage 6: search
| `windows_account_discovery_for_none_disable_user_account_filter`
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 |
|---|---|---|
EventCode | eq |
|
ScriptBlockText | eq |
|