Detect Password Spray Attack Behavior From Source
The following analytic identifies one source failing to authenticate with 10 or more unique users. This behavior could represent an adversary performing a Password Spraying attack to obtain initial access or elevate…
Description
The following analytic identifies one source failing to authenticate with 10 or more unique users. This behavior could represent an adversary performing a Password Spraying attack to obtain initial access or elevate privileges. This logic can be used for real time security monitoring as well as threat hunting exercises and works well against any number of data sources ingested into the CIM datamodel. Environments can be very different depending on the organization. Test and customize this detections thresholds if needed.
Detection logic
Detection requirements
- Platform
- ContainersESXiIaaSIdentity ProviderLinuxmacOSNetwork DevicesOffice SuiteSaaSWindows
The rule states no platform. This is derived from the ATT&CK technique it maps to.
- Log source category
- windows_event_log_security_4624windows_event_log_security_4625
Known benign triggers
- Domain controllers, authentication chokepoints, and vulnerability scanners.
MITRE ATT&CK mappings
0 exclusive techniques.This is coverage no other published rule has; it is not this rule's total technique count.
References
| Reference | Cited by |
|---|---|
| attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1110/003/ | 40 |
| github.com/MarkoH17/Spray365 | 2 |
| www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2020/04/23/protecting-organization-password-spray-attacks/ | 2 |
From the source
- At source
- Open at source
- Upstream identifier
- b6391b15-e913-4c2c-8949-9eecc06efacc
- Tagged by the source as
- Compromised User AccountAccountendpointSplunk CloudSplunk EnterpriseSplunk Enterprise Securityaccess
Licence
- Published under
- Apache License 2.0Read the licence
- Attribution
- Required
- Obtained under
- Apache-2.0Read the origin licence
Authorship
- Written by
- Published
- Aug 26, 2026
- Version
- 1