Windows AD GPO Disabled

name: Windows AD GPO Disabled
id: 72793bc0-c0cd-400e-9e60-fdf36f278917
version: 12
creation_date: '2024-07-01'
modification_date: '2026-05-13'
author: Dean Luxton
status: production
type: TTP
description: This detection identifies when an Active Directory Group Policy is disabled using the Group Policy Management Console.
data_source:
    - Windows Event Log Security 5136
search: |-
    `wineventlog_security` EventCode=5136 AttributeLDAPDisplayName=flags OperationType="%%14674" AttributeValue!=0
      | eval AttributeValueExp=case(AttributeValue==0,"Enabled",AttributeValue==1,"User configuration settings disabled",AttributeValue==2,"Computer configuration settings disabled",AttributeValue==3,"Disabled"), ObjectDN=upper(ObjectDN)
      | join ObjectDN type=inner [
      | search `admon` objectCategory="CN=Group-Policy-Container*" admonEventType=Update
      | eval ObjectDN=upper(distinguishedName)
      | stats latest(displayName) as displayName
        BY ObjectDN ]
      | stats min(_time) as _time values(AttributeValue) as AttributeValue values(AttributeValueExp) as AttributeValueExp values(OpCorrelationID) as OpCorrelationID values(displayName) as policyName values(src_user) as src_user
        BY ObjectDN SubjectLogonId dest
      | `windows_ad_gpo_disabled_filter`
how_to_implement: Ensure you are ingesting Active Directory audit logs - specifically event 5136, admon data is also used to display the display name of the GPO. See lantern article in references for further on how to onboard AD audit data. Ensure the wineventlog_security and admon macros are configured with the correct indexes.
known_false_positives: No false positives have been identified at this time.
references:
    - https://lantern.splunk.com/Security/Product_Tips/Enterprise_Security/Enabling_an_audit_trail_from_Active_Directory
finding:
    title: $src_user$ has disabled GPO $policyName$
    entity:
        field: src_user
        type: user
        score: 50
analytic_story:
    - Sneaky Active Directory Persistence Tricks
asset_type: Endpoint
mitre_attack_id:
    - T1685
    - T1484.001
product:
    - Splunk Enterprise
    - Splunk Enterprise Security
    - Splunk Cloud
category: endpoint
security_domain: endpoint