PowerShell User Discovery and Export with Get-ADUser
Flags PowerShell Get-ADUser enumeration (filter *) followed by exporting results to a file.
- Product
- windows
- Category
- process_creation
- Author
- Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
- Published
- 2022-09-09
- Updated
- 2026-07-30
ATT&CK techniques
DiscoveryRecon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact
What it detects
This rule identifies PowerShell execution of the Get-ADUser cmdlet with a broad filter ("-Filter *") and subsequent export of results to a file. Attackers use this to enumerate directory users for targeting, discovery, or later collection steps. It relies on Windows process creation telemetry capturing PowerShell command lines that include the Get-ADUser usage and file output via redirection or common output cmdlets.
Reporting behind it
- blog.talosintelligence.comhttp://blog.talosintelligence.com/2022/09/lazarus-three-rats.html
- microsoft.comhttps://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2022/10/18/defenders-beware-a-case-for-post-ransomware-investigations/
- github.comhttps://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_powershell_user_discovery_get_aduser.yml
Detection content is published as a reviewed draft. Tune thresholds and exclusions against your own telemetry before enabling this rule for alerting.
title: PowerShell User Discovery and Export with Get-ADUser
id: 45fd0a9b-b046-4f53-a96b-e68fc4539e7e
related:
- id: c2993223-6da8-4b1a-88ee-668b8bf315e9
type: similar
- id: 1114e048-b69c-4f41-bc20-657245ae6e3f
type: derived
status: test
description: This rule identifies PowerShell execution of the Get-ADUser cmdlet with a broad filter ("-Filter *") and subsequent export of results to a file. Attackers use this to enumerate directory users for targeting, discovery, or later collection steps. It relies on Windows process creation telemetry capturing PowerShell command lines that include the Get-ADUser usage and file output via redirection or common output cmdlets.
references:
- http://blog.talosintelligence.com/2022/09/lazarus-three-rats.html
- https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2022/10/18/defenders-beware-a-case-for-post-ransomware-investigations/
- https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_powershell_user_discovery_get_aduser.yml
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2022-09-09
modified: 2022-11-17
tags:
- attack.discovery
- attack.t1033
logsource:
category: process_creation
product: windows
detection:
selection_img:
- Image|endswith:
- \powershell.exe
- \pwsh.exe
- OriginalFileName:
- PowerShell.EXE
- pwsh.dll
selection_cli:
CommandLine|contains|all:
- "Get-ADUser "
- " -Filter \\*"
CommandLine|contains:
- " > "
- " | Select "
- Out-File
- Set-Content
- Add-Content
condition: all of selection_*
falsepositives:
- Legitimate admin scripts may use the same technique, it's better to exclude specific computers or users who execute these commands or scripts often
level: medium
license: DRL-1.1