Potential PowerShell Pass-the-Hash/Relay Script

Last updated 9 months ago on 2025-03-20

Created 2 years ago on 2024-03-27

About

Detects PowerShell scripts that can execute pass-the-hash (PtH) attacks, intercept and relay NTLM challenges, and carry out other man-in-the-middle (MitM) attacks.

Tags

Domain: EndpointOS: WindowsUse Case: Threat DetectionTactic: Credential AccessData Source: PowerShell LogsLanguage: kuery

Severity

high

Risk Score

MITRE ATT&CK™

Credential Access (TA0006)(external, opens in a new tab or window)

↳ Adversary-in-the-Middle (T1557)(external, opens in a new tab or window)

Execution (TA0002)(external, opens in a new tab or window)

↳ Command and Scripting Interpreter (T1059)(external, opens in a new tab or window)

Lateral Movement (TA0008)(external, opens in a new tab or window)

↳ Use Alternate Authentication Material (T1550)(external, opens in a new tab or window)

License

Elastic License v2(external, opens in a new tab or window)

Definition

Rule Type: Query (Kibana Query Language)
Integration Pack: Prebuilt Security Detection Rules
Index Patterns: winlogbeat-*logs-windows.powershell*
Related Integrations: windows(external, opens in a new tab or window)
Query

✄𐘗text code block:
✄𐘗event.category:process and host.os.type:windows and
  powershell.file.script_block_text : (
    ("NTLMSSPNegotiate" and ("NegotiateSMB" or "NegotiateSMB2")) or
    "4E544C4D53535000" or
    "0x4e,0x54,0x4c,0x4d,0x53,0x53,0x50" or
    "0x4e,0x54,0x20,0x4c,0x4d" or
    "0x53,0x4d,0x42,0x20,0x32" or
    "0x81,0xbb,0x7a,0x36,0x44,0x98,0xf1,0x35,0xad,0x32,0x98,0xf0,0x38"
  ) and
  not file.directory : "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection\Downloads"

Install detection rules in Elastic Security

Detect Potential PowerShell Pass-the-Hash/Relay Script 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(external, opens in a new tab or window).