Query: detect Detects the execution of Sysinternals ADExplorer with the "-snapshot" flag in order to save a local copy of the active d in logs
Matching passage: Sigma rule: Detects the execution of Sysinternals ADExplorer with the "-snapshot" flag in order to save a local copy of the active d. Logsource: windows / process_creation. Rule: title: Suspicious Active Directory Database Snapshot Via ADExplorer id: ef61af62-bc74-4f58-b49b-626448227652 related: - id: 9212f354-7775-4e28-9c9f-8f0a4544e664 type: derived status: test description: Detects the execution of Sysinternals ADExplorer with the "-snapshot" flag in order to save a local copy of the active directory database to a suspicious directory. This can be used by attackers to extract data for Bloodhound, usernames for password spraying or use the meta data for social engineering. The snapshot doesn't contain password hashes but there have been cases, where administrators put passwords in the comment field. references: - https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/5743766-Global-Threat-Report-2019.html - https://learn.microsoft.com/de-de/sysinternals/downloads/adexplorer - https://github.com/c3c/ADExplorerSnapshot.py/tree/f700904defac330802bbfedd1d8ffd9248f4ee24 - https://www.packetlabs.net/posts/scattered-spider-is-a-young-ransomware-gang-exploiting-large-corporations/ - https://www.nccgroup.com/us/research-blog/lapsus-recent-techniques-tactics-and-procedures/ - https://trustedsec.com/blog/adexplorer-on-engagements author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems) date: 2023-03-14 modified: 2025-07-09 tags: - attack.discovery - attack.t1087.002 - attack.t1069.002 - attack.t1482 logsource: category: process_creation product: windows detection: selection_img: - Image|endswith: - \ADExp.exe - \ADExplorer.exe - \ADExplorer64.exe - \ADExplorer64a.exe - OriginalFileName: AdExp - Description: Active Directory Editor - Product: Sysinternals ADExplorer selection_flag: CommandLine|contains: snapshot selection_paths: CommandLine|contains: - \Downloads\ - \Users\Public\ - \AppData\ - \Windows\Temp\ condition: all of selection_* falsepositives: - Unknown level: high
Near-miss passage: Sigma rule: Detects Commandlet names from well-known PowerShell exploitation frameworks. Logsource: windows / process_creation. Rule: title: Malicious PowerShell Commandlets - ProcessCreation id: 02030f2f-6199-49ec-b258-ea71b07e03dc related: - id: 89819aa4-bbd6-46bc-88ec-c7f7fe30efa6 type: derived - id: 7d0d0329-0ef1-4e84-a9f5-49500f9d7c6c type: similar status: test description: Detects Commandlet names from well-known PowerShell exploitation frameworks references: - https://adsecurity.org/?p=2921 - https://github.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/PowerSharpPack/tree/master/PowerSharpBinaries - https://github.com/BC-SECURITY/Invoke-ZeroLogon/blob/111d17c7fec486d9bb23387e2e828b09a26075e4/Invoke-ZeroLogon.ps1 - https://github.com/xorrior/RandomPS-Scripts/blob/848c919bfce4e2d67b626cbcf4404341cfe3d3b6/Get-DXWebcamVideo.ps1 - https://github.com/rvrsh3ll/Misc-Powershell-Scripts/blob/6f23bb41f9675d7e2d32bacccff75e931ae00554/OfficeMemScraper.ps1 - https://github.com/dafthack/DomainPasswordSpray/blob/b13d64a5834694aa73fd2aea9911a83027c465a7/DomainPasswordSpray.ps1 - https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/threat-assessment-black-basta-ransomware/ - https://research.nccgroup.com/2022/06/06/shining-the-light-on-black-basta/ - https://github.com/calebstewart/CVE-2021-1675 - https://github.com/BloodHoundAD/BloodHound/blob/0927441f67161cc6dc08a53c63ceb8e333f55874/Collectors/AzureHound.ps1 - https://bloodhound.readthedocs.io/en/latest/data-collection/azurehound.html - https://github.com/HarmJ0y/DAMP - https://github.com/samratashok/nishang - https://github.com/DarkCoderSc/PowerRunAsSystem/ - https://github.com/besimorhino/powercat - https://github.com/Kevin-Robertson/Powermad - https://github.com/adrecon/ADRecon - https://github.com/adrecon/AzureADRecon - https://github.com/sadshade/veeam-creds/blob/6010eaf31ba41011b58d6af3950cffbf6f5cea32/Veeam-Get-Creds.ps1 - https://github.com/The-Viper-One/Invoke-PowerDPAPI/ - https://github.com/Arno0x/DNSExfiltrator/ author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems) date: 2023-01-02 modified: 2025-12-10 tags: - attack.execution - attack.discovery - attack.t1482 - attack.t1087 - attack.t1087.001 - attack.t1087.002 - attack.t1069.001 - attack.t1069.002 - attack.t1069 - attack.t1059.001 logsource: category: process_creation product: windows detection: selection: CommandLine|contains: - Add-Exfiltration - Add-Persistence - Add-RegBackdoor - Add-RemoteRegBackdoor - Add-ScrnSaveBackdoor - Check-VM - ConvertTo-Rc4ByteStream - Decrypt-Hash - Disable-ADIDNSNode - Disable-MachineAccount - Do-Exfiltration - Enable-ADIDNSNode - Enable-MachineAccount - Enabled-DuplicateToken - Exploit-Jboss - Ex