MediumSplunk security content Michael Haag +1

ServicePrincipalNames Discovery with PowerShell

Description

The following analytic detects the use of `powershell.exe` to query the domain for Service Principal Names (SPNs) using Script Block Logging EventCode 4104. It identifies the use of the KerberosRequestorSecurityToken class within the script block, which is equivalent to using setspn.exe. This activity is significant as it often precedes kerberoasting or silver ticket attacks, which can lead to credential theft. If confirmed malicious, attackers could leverage this information to escalate privileges or persist within the environment.

Detection logic

Detection requirements

Platform: Windows
The rule states no platform. This is derived from the ATT&CK technique it maps to.
Log source category: powershell_script_block_logging_4104

Known benign triggers

False positives should be limited, however filter as needed.

References

Links the source published beside this detection. Reference is the link the source wrote, unmodified. Class is decided by this catalogue from the host and path, not stated by the source. Cited by counts published detections citing the same resource, including this one, and the sources beneath it count the repositories this catalogue ingests, which is not the same as independent research.
Reference	Class	Cited by
adsecurity.org/?p=3466	Security research	6from 3 sources
attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1558/003/	Taxonomy	3
blog.palantir.com/tampering-with-windows-event-tracing-background-offense-and-defense-4be7ac62ac63	Unclassified	19from 2 sources
blog.zsec.uk/paving-2-da-wholeset/	Unclassified	2
docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/api/system.identitymodel.tokens.kerberosrequestorsecuritytoken?view=netframework-4.8	Product documentation	Only this detection cites it
docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/ad/service-principal-names	Product documentation	2
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.	Product documentation	15
msitpros.com/?p=3113	Unclassified	2
social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/717.service-principal-names-spn-setspn-syntax.aspx	Unclassified	2
static1.squarespace.com/static/552092d5e4b0661088167e5c/t/59c1814829f18782e24f1fe2/1505853768977/Windows+PowerShell+Logging+Cheat+Sheet+ver+Sept+2017+v2.1.pdf	Unclassified	17
strontic.github.io/xcyclopedia/library/setspn.exe-5C184D581524245DAD7A0A02B51FD2C2.html	Unclassified	2
web.archive.org/web/20220212163642/https://www.harmj0y.net/blog/powershell/kerberoasting-without-mimikatz/	Unclassified	2
www.crowdstrike.com/blog/investigating-powershell-command-and-script-logging/	Security research	17
www.ired.team/offensive-security-experiments/active-directory-kerberos-abuse/t1208-kerberoasting	Unclassified	7

Detection rules

ServicePrincipalNames Discovery with PowerShell

Description

Detection logic

Detection requirements

Known benign triggers

MITRE ATT&CK mappings

References

From the source

Licence

Authorship

Detection rules