Unusual Windows Username

Last updated 19 days ago on 2025-01-17
Created 5 years ago on 2020-03-25

About

A machine learning job detected activity for a username that is not normally active, which can indicate unauthorized changes, activity by unauthorized users, lateral movement, or compromised credentials. In many organizations, new usernames are not often created apart from specific types of system activities, such as creating new accounts for new employees. These user accounts quickly become active and routine. Events from rarely used usernames can point to suspicious activity. Additionally, automated Linux fleets tend to see activity from rarely used usernames only when personnel log in to make authorized or unauthorized changes, or threat actors have acquired credentials and log in for malicious purposes. Unusual usernames can also indicate pivoting, where compromised credentials are used to try and move laterally from one host to another.
Tags
Domain: EndpointOS: WindowsUse Case: Threat DetectionRule Type: MLRule Type: Machine LearningTactic: Initial Access
Severity
low
Risk Score
21
MITRE ATT&CK™

Initial Access (TA0001)(opens in a new tab or window)

False Positive Examples
Uncommon user activity can be due to an administrator or help desk technician logging onto a workstation or server in order to perform manual troubleshooting or reconfiguration.
License
Elastic License v2(opens in a new tab or window)

Definition

Rule Type
Machine Learning
Integration Pack
Prebuilt Security Detection Rules
Related Integrations

endpoint(opens in a new tab or window)

windows(opens in a new tab or window)

Query

Install detection rules in Elastic Security

Detect Unusual Windows Username in the Elastic Security detection engine by installing this rule into your Elastic Stack.

To setup this rule, check out the installation guide for Prebuilt Security Detection Rules(opens in a new tab or window).