Suspicious SQL Service Principal Name Enumeration via Setspn

ATT&CK techniques

Cred Access

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
- T1558.003Kerberoasting
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule detects setspn.exe querying for SQL related service principal names which the ColunmTK APT41 cluster uses to identify Kerberoastable service accounts. Enumerating MSSQL SPNs precedes requesting and cracking their Kerberos tickets offline. It matters because this reconnaissance directly enables credential compromise of high privilege database accounts.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1558.003 — drag to rearrange

Malicious Kerberos Ticket File Creation Indicating Credential Theft (via file_event)

Suspicious Kerberoasting via setspn Service Principal Query

Masquerading Kerberos Ticket Abuse via Rubeus (via process_creation)

Possible Targeted Kerberoasting via servicePrincipalName Modification

Windows: Suspicious Kerberos Ticket Requests from PowerShell Using KerberosRequestorSecurityToken

Windows Process Creation: RemoteKrbRelay Kerberos Relay Tool Execution

Windows Kerberos KDC Key Distribution Failure: No Suitable Encryption Key or Unsupported EType

Rubeus HackTool Execution via PowerShell ScriptBlock Flags (Windows)

Windows Process Creation: KrbRelay.exe Kerberos Relay Tool Execution

Suspicious SQL Service Principal Name Enumeration via Setspn

Pivot detection · T1558.003 · 9 related

Detection content is published as a reviewed draft. Tune thresholds and exclusions against your own telemetry before enabling this rule for alerting.

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