MediumSplunk security content Michael Haag +1

ServicePrincipalNames Discovery with SetSPN

Description

The following analytic detects the use of `setspn.exe` to query the domain for Service Principal Names (SPNs). This detection leverages Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) data, focusing on specific command-line arguments associated with `setspn.exe`. Monitoring this activity is crucial as it often precedes Kerberoasting or Silver Ticket attacks, which can lead to credential theft. If confirmed malicious, an attacker could use the gathered SPNs to escalate privileges or persist within the environment, posing a significant security risk.

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: crowdstrike_processrollup2 sysmon_eventid_1 windows_event_log_security_4688

Known benign triggers

False positives may be caused by Administrators resetting SPNs or querying for SPNs. 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.zsec.uk/paving-2-da-wholeset/	Unclassified	2
docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/ad/service-principal-names	Product documentation	2
github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/388942adbd9641f4dfdcf079d7efe9a75ec0ac43/atomics/T1558.003/T1558.003.yaml#L82	Detection test	3
msitpros.com/?p=3113	Unclassified	2
social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/717.service-principal-names-spn-setspn-syntax.aspx	Unclassified	2
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.ired.team/offensive-security-experiments/active-directory-kerberos-abuse/t1208-kerberoasting	Unclassified	7

Detection rules

ServicePrincipalNames Discovery with SetSPN

Description

Detection logic

Detection requirements

Known benign triggers

MITRE ATT&CK mappings

References

From the source

Licence

Authorship

Detection rules