title: EventLog Query Requests By Builtin Utilities
id: 9cd55b6c-430a-4fa9-96f4-7cadf5229e9f
related:
    - id: beaa66d6-aa1b-4e3c-80f5-e0145369bfaf
      type: derived
status: test
description: |
    Detect attempts to query the contents of the event log using command line utilities. Attackers use this technique in order to look for sensitive information in the logs such as passwords, usernames, IPs, etc.
references:
    - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.diagnostics/get-winevent?view=powershell-7.3
    - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.management/get-eventlog?view=powershell-5.1
    - http://www.solomonson.com/posts/2010-07-09-reading-eventviewer-command-line/
    - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/wevtutil
author: Ali Alwashali, Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems)
date: 2023-11-20
modified: 2024-01-24
tags:
    - attack.t1552
    - attack.credential-access
    - detection.threat-hunting
logsource:
    product: windows
    category: process_creation
detection:
    selection_wmi:
        CommandLine|contains|all:
            - 'Select'
            - 'Win32_NTLogEvent'
    selection_wevtutil_img:
        - Image|endswith: '\wevtutil.exe'
        - OriginalFileName: 'wevtutil.exe'
    selection_wevtutil_cli:
        CommandLine|contains:
            - ' qe '
            - ' query-events '
    selection_wmic_img:
        - Image|endswith: '\wmic.exe'
        - OriginalFileName: 'wmic.exe'
    selection_wmic_cli:
        CommandLine|contains: ' ntevent'
    selection_cmdlet:
        CommandLine|contains:
            - 'Get-WinEvent '
            - 'get-eventlog '
    condition: selection_wmi or all of selection_wevtutil_* or all of selection_wmic_* or selection_cmdlet
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate log access by administrators or troubleshooting tools
level: medium