Windows Event Auditing Disabled — Sigma Rule

Rule metadata and linked tags

Author: @neu5ron, Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems). Source status: test; severity: low. Source dates: 2017-11-19 / 2023-11-15.

{
  "product": "windows",
  "service": "security",
  "definition": "dfd8c0f4-e6ad-4e07-b91b-f2fca0ddef64"
}

Pinned original Sigma rule · Detection Rule License 1.1

Source SHA-256: 99ac00be54aede209446f25755eda6b8a754fdf3ac4a0166b39acc881fd6abd6

Detection logic

Original source YAML. Source-tag agreement is not proof of complete semantic coverage. This rule has not been compiled for a SIEM backend or validated against live telemetry here.

title: Windows Event Auditing Disabled
id: 69aeb277-f15f-4d2d-b32a-55e883609563
related:
    - id: ab4561b1-6c7e-48a7-ad08-087cfb9ce8f1
      type: derived
status: test
description: |
    Detects scenarios where system auditing (i.e.: Windows event log auditing) is disabled.
    This may be used in a scenario where an entity would want to bypass local logging to evade detection when Windows event logging is enabled and reviewed.
    Also, it is recommended to turn off "Local Group Policy Object Processing" via GPO, which will make sure that Active Directory GPOs take precedence over local/edited computer policies via something such as "gpedit.msc".
    Please note, that disabling "Local Group Policy Object Processing" may cause an issue in scenarios of one off specific GPO modifications - however, it is recommended to perform these modifications in Active Directory anyways.
references:
    - https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1dkrldTTlN3La-OjWtkWJBb4hVk6vfsSMBFBERs6R8zA/edit
author: '@neu5ron, Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems)'
date: 2017-11-19
modified: 2023-11-15
tags:
    - attack.defense-impairment
    - attack.t1685.001
logsource:
    product: windows
    service: security
    definition: dfd8c0f4-e6ad-4e07-b91b-f2fca0ddef64
detection:
    selection:
        EventID: 4719
        AuditPolicyChanges|contains:
            - '%%8448' # This is "Success removed"
            - '%%8450' # This is "Failure removed"
    filter_main_guid:
        # Note: We filter these GUID to avoid alert duplication as these are covered by ab4561b1-6c7e-48a7-ad08-087cfb9ce8f1
        SubcategoryGuid:
            - '{0CCE9210-69AE-11D9-BED3-505054503030}' # Audit Security State Change
            - '{0CCE9211-69AE-11D9-BED3-505054503030}' # Audit Security System Extension
            - '{0CCE9212-69AE-11D9-BED3-505054503030}' # Audit System Integrity
            - '{0CCE9215-69AE-11D9-BED3-505054503030}' # Audit Logon
            - '{0CCE9217-69AE-11D9-BED3-505054503030}' # Audit Account Lockout
            - '{0CCE921B-69AE-11D9-BED3-505054503030}' # Audit Special Logon
            - '{0CCE922B-69AE-11D9-BED3-505054503030}' # Audit Process Creation
            - '{0CCE922F-69AE-11D9-BED3-505054503030}' # Audit Audit Policy Change
            - '{0CCE9230-69AE-11D9-BED3-505054503030}' # Audit Authentication Policy Change
            - '{0CCE9235-69AE-11D9-BED3-505054503030}' # Audit User Account Management
            - '{0CCE9236-69AE-11D9-BED3-505054503030}' # Audit Computer Account Management
            - '{0CCE9237-69AE-11D9-BED3-505054503030}' # Audit Security Group Management
            - '{0CCE923F-69AE-11D9-BED3-505054503030}' # Audit Credential Validation
            - '{0CCE9240-69AE-11D9-BED3-505054503030}' # Audit Kerberos Service Ticket Operations
            - '{0CCE9242-69AE-11D9-BED3-505054503030}' # Audit Kerberos Authentication Service'
    condition: selection and not 1 of filter_main_*
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: low # Increase this after a testing period in your environment

Original YAML and metadata in JSON

False positives

• Unknown

Source references

• https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1dkrldTTlN3La-OjWtkWJBb4hVk6vfsSMBFBERs6R8zA/edit