Windows AppLocker Privilege Escalation via Unauthorized Bypass
The following analytic utilizes Windows AppLocker event logs to identify attempts to bypass application restrictions. AppLocker is a feature that allows administrators to specify which applications are permitted to…
Description
The following analytic utilizes Windows AppLocker event logs to identify attempts to bypass application restrictions. AppLocker is a feature that allows administrators to specify which applications are permitted to run on a system. This analytic is designed to identify attempts to bypass these restrictions, which could be indicative of an attacker attempting to escalate privileges. The analytic uses EventCodes 8007, 8004, 8022, 8025, 8029, and 8040 to identify these attempts. The analytic will identify the host, full file path, and target user associated with the bypass attempt. These EventCodes are related to block events and focus on 5 attempts or more.
Detection logic
Detection requirements
Known benign triggers
- False positives are possible if legitimate users are attempting to bypass application restrictions. This could occur if a user is attempting to run an application that is not permitted by AppLocker. It is recommended to investigate the context of the bypass attempt to determine if it is malicious or not. Modify the threshold as needed to reduce false positives.
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 |
|---|---|
| learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/application-security/application-control/windows-defender-application-control/applocker/using-event-viewer-with-applocker | 6from 2 sources |
| learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/application-security/application-control/windows-defender-application-control/operations/querying-application-control-events-centrally-using-advanced-hunting | 4 |
From the source
- At source
- Open at source
- Upstream identifier
- bca48629-7fa2-40d3-9e5d-807564504e28
- Tagged by the source as
- Windows AppLockerEndpointendpointSplunk CloudSplunk EnterpriseSplunk Enterprise Securityendpoint
Licence
- Published under
- Apache License 2.0Read the licence
- Attribution
- Required
- Obtained under
- Apache-2.0Read the origin licence
Authorship
- Written by
- Published
- Oct 6, 2026
- Version
- 2