huntrule

Windows Process Command Line Network Recon via nslookup LDAP SRV Query

Identifies Windows command lines running nslookup with an LDAP SRV domain controller discovery query string.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v1
Product
windows
Category
process_creation
Author
Florian Roth (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2022-02-07
Updated
2026-07-30
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

Discovery

  1. Recon

  2. Resource Dev

  3. Initial Access

  4. Execution

  5. Persistence

  6. Priv Esc

  7. Defense Evasion

  8. Cred Access

  9. Discovery

  10. Lateral Movement

  11. Collection

  12. C2

  13. Exfiltration

  14. Impact

What it detects

This rule flags Windows process creations where the command line contains both 'nslookup' and the LDAP SRV query string '_ldap._tcp.dc._msdcs.'. Such lookups are commonly used to enumerate directory services and identify domain controller endpoints during reconnaissance. It relies on process creation telemetry with access to the full command line for matching the specific query pattern.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1082 — drag to rearrange
Windows: Detect winPEAS privilege escalation reconnaissance execution
Malicious Turla Kopiluwak Reconnaissance Output to Windows Temp via process_creation
Suspicious ROADtools User Agent Against Microsoft Graph (via azure)
Suspicious Windows Defender Support Directory Enumeration via Process Creation
Suspicious System Reconnaissance via Windows Script Host
Suspicious Host Reconnaissance Command Chain via cmd
Malicious DinodasRAT Hidden Config File Creation on Linux (via file_event)
Suspicious Bazar Network Reconnaissance Command Batch
Suspicious System Discovery via WMIC Query Commands (via process_creation)
Windows Process Command Line Network Recon via nslookup LDAP SRV Query
Pivot detection · T1082 · 9 related

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