Techniques › T1201 › AN0455
AN0455 Analytic 0455
Windows · attack.mitre.org · ATT&CK Enterprise v19.2
<p>Cause→effect chain: (1) a user or service spawns a shell/PowerShell that queries local/domain password policy via commands/cmdlets (e.g.,
net accounts, Get-ADDefaultDomainPasswordPolicy, secedit /export); (2) optional directory/LDAP reads from DCs; (3) same principal performs adjacent Discovery or credential-related actions within a short window. Correlate sysmon process creation with PowerShell ScriptBlock and Security logs.</p>- Detects
- T1201 Password Policy Discovery
- Part of
- DET0161 Password Policy Discovery – cross-platform behavior-chain analytics
Log sources and channels
Exactly as MITRE states them in x_mitre_log_source_references. Where a channel is vague, it is vague in the source; kevmap does not tidy it.
| Log source | Channel | Data component |
|---|---|---|
| WinEventLog:Sysmon | EventCode=1 | DC0032 Process Creation |
| WinEventLog:PowerShell | EventCode=4103, 4104, 4105, 4106 | DC0064 Command Execution |
| WinEventLog:Security | EventCode=4662 | DC0071 Active Directory Object Access |
Mutable elements
Parameters MITRE marks as environment-specific. These are the knobs you are expected to tune; they are why an analytic is not a rule.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
TimeWindow | Correlation window between policy query and adjacent suspicious activity (e.g., 15–30 minutes). |
PrivilegedUserAllowList | Accounts (e.g., Helpdesk) allowed to run policy queries routinely. |
HostRoleScope | Limit alerts on DCs/management servers; raise on user workstations/VDI. |
PS_ScriptBlockPatterns | Cmdlet/function names to treat as high-signal in your environment. |