Active Directory Recon with MITRE Caldera

---

- id: c0da588f-79f0-4263-8998-7496b1a40596
  name: Identify active user
  description: Find user running agent
  tactic: discovery
  technique:
    attack_id: T1033
    name: System Owner/User Discovery
  platforms:
    darwin:
      sh:
        command: whoami
        parsers:
          plugins.stockpile.app.parsers.basic:
            - source: host.user.name
            - source: domain.user.name
    linux:
      sh:
        command: whoami
        parsers:
          plugins.stockpile.app.parsers.basic:
            - source: host.user.name
            - source: domain.user.name
    windows:
      psh:
        command: |
          $env:username
        parsers:
          plugins.stockpile.app.parsers.basic:
            - source: host.user.name
            - source: domain.user.name
      cmd:
        command: echo %username%
        parsers:
          plugins.stockpile.app.parsers.basic:
            - source: host.user.name
            - source: domain.user.name

---

- id: 3b5db901-2cb8-4df7-8043-c4628a6a5d5a
  name: Find user processes
  description: Get process info for processes running as a user
  tactic: discovery
  technique:
    attack_id: T1057
    name: Process Discovery
  platforms:
    linux:
      sh:
        command: |
          ps aux | grep #{host.user.name}
    --snip--
  requirements:
    - plugins.stockpile.app.requirements.paw_provenance:
      - source: host.user.name

parsers:
  plugins.stockpile.app.parsers.katz:
  - source: domain.user.name
    edge: has_password
    target: domain.user.password
  - source: domain.user.name
    edge: has_hash
    target: domain.user.ntlm
  - source: domain.user.name
    edge: has_hash
    target: domain.user.sha1

---

- id: 3796a00b-b11d-4731-b4ca-275a07d83299
  name: Impersonate user
  description: Run an application as a different user
  tactic: execution
  technique:
    attack_id: T1059.001
    name: "Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell"
  platforms:
    windows:
      psh:
        command: |
          $job = Start-Job -ScriptBlock {
            $username = '#{host.user.name}';
            $password = '#{host.user.password}';
            $securePassword = ConvertTo-SecureString $password -AsPlainText -Force;
            $credential = New-Object System.Management.Automation.PSCredential $username, $securePassword;
            Start-Process Notepad.exe -NoNewWindow -PassThru -Credential $credential;
          };
          Receive-Job -Job $job -Wait;
  requirements:
    - plugins.stockpile.app.requirements.paw_provenance:
      - source: host.user.name
    - plugins.stockpile.app.requirements.basic:
      - source: host.user.name
        edge: has_password
        target: host.user.password

title: Potential Recon Activity Via Nltest.EXE
id: 5cc90652-4cbd-4241-aa3b-4b462fa5a248
related:
    - id: 410ad193-a728-4107-bc79-4419789fcbf8
      type: similar
    - id: 903076ff-f442-475a-b667-4f246bcc203b
      type: similar
    - id: 77815820-246c-47b8-9741-e0def3f57308
      type: obsolete
status: test
description: Detects nltest commands that can be used for information discovery
references:
    - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/it-pro/windows-server-2012-r2-and-2012/cc731935(v=ws.11)
    - https://thedfirreport.com/2021/08/16/trickbot-leads-up-to-fake-1password-installation/
    - https://thedfirreport.com/2020/10/18/ryuk-in-5-hours/
    - https://book.hacktricks.xyz/windows/basic-cmd-for-pentesters
    - https://research.nccgroup.com/2022/08/19/back-in-black-unlocking-a-lockbit-3-0-ransomware-attack/
    - https://eqllib.readthedocs.io/en/latest/analytics/03e231a6-74bc-467a-acb1-e5676b0fb55e.html
    - https://redcanary.com/blog/how-one-hospital-thwarted-a-ryuk-ransomware-outbreak/
    - https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/5360c9d9ffa3b25f6495f7a16e267b719eba2c37/atomics/T1482/T1482.md#atomic-test-2---windows---discover-domain-trusts-with-nltest
author: Craig Young, oscd.community, Georg Lauenstein
date: 2021-07-24
modified: 2023-12-15
tags:
    - attack.discovery
    - attack.t1016
    - attack.t1482
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection_nltest:
        - Image|endswith: '\nltest.exe'
        - OriginalFileName: 'nltestrk.exe'
    selection_recon:
        - CommandLine|contains|all:
              - 'server'
              - 'query'
        - CommandLine|contains:
              - '/user'
              - 'all_trusts' # Flag for /domain_trusts
              - 'dclist:'
              - 'dnsgetdc:'
              - 'domain_trusts'
              - 'dsgetdc:'
              - 'parentdomain'
              - 'trusted_domains'
    condition: all of selection_*
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate administration use but user and host must be investigated
level: medium