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Potential WSUS Abuse for Lateral Movement

Elastic Detection Rules

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Summary
This rule, authored by Elastic, is designed to detect potential abuse of Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) for lateral movement within networks. WSUS typically restricts execution to Microsoft-signed binaries. However, attackers may exploit this limitation to execute tools such as PsExec, which, although it is Microsoft-signed, can be used maliciously to facilitate unauthorized lateral movement. The rule targets scenarios where the 'wuauclt.exe' process, which is a WSUS component, initiates 'psexec64.exe' or instances of 'psexec.c' from specified directories. The detection focuses on ensuring that these processes are legitimate and not a sign of malicious activity. It includes insights into triage, analysis, investigations, false positive management, and remediation steps in response to potential alerts.
Categories
  • Endpoint
  • Windows
  • Cloud
  • On-Premise
Data Sources
  • Process
  • Windows Registry
  • Application Log
  • Sensor Health
ATT&CK Techniques
  • T1210
Created: 2024-07-19