T1124 System Time Discovery — Detection Rules

Source-backed rule directory

• Cisco Discovery · test · low · {"product":"cisco","service":"aaa"}
• Discovery of a System Time · test · low · {"category":"process_creation","product":"windows"}
• Use of W32tm as Timer · test · high · {"category":"process_creation","product":"windows"}

Atlas deterministic concepts

No exact concept selected.

Anomaly models

No exact Atlas model in this snapshot.

ATT&CK analytic guidance

DET0151 Behavior-chain, platform-aware detection strategy for T1124 System Time Discovery

AN0430 Analytic 0430

Untrusted or unusual process/script (cmd.exe, powershell.exe, w32tm.exe, net.exe, custom binaries) queries system time/timezone (e.g., w32tm /tz, net time \\host, Get-TimeZone, GetTickCount API) and (optionally) is followed within a short window by time-based scheduling or conditional execution (e.g., schtasks /create, at.exe, PowerShell Start-Sleep with large values).

AN0431 Analytic 0431

A process (often spawned by a shell, interpreter, or malware implant) executes time discovery via commands (date, timedatectl, hwclock, cat /etc/timezone, /proc/uptime) or direct syscalls (time(), clock_gettime) and is (optionally) followed by scheduled task creation/modification (crontab, at) or conditional sleep logic.

AN0432 Analytic 0432

Process/script execution of systemsetup -gettimezone, date, ioreg, or API usage (timeIntervalSinceNow, gettimeofday) followed by time-based scheduling (launchd plist modification) or sleep-based execution.

AN0433 Analytic 0433

Interactive or remote shell/API invocation of esxcli system clock get or querying time parameters via hostd/vpxa shortly followed by time/ntp configuration checks or scheduled task creation, executed by non-standard accounts or outside maintenance windows.

AN0434 Analytic 0434

Non-standard or rare users/locations issue CLI commands like "show clock detail" or "show timezone"; optionally followed by configuration of time/timezone or NTP sources. AAA/TACACS+ accounting and syslog correlate execution to identity, source IP, and privilege level.