Adversaries may create a group and immediately add it to a privileged built-in domain group to gain elevated permissions or escalate privileges. SOC teams should proactively hunt for this behavior in Azure Sentinel to identify potential lateral movement or privilege escalation tactics.
KQL Query
let WellKnownLocalSID = "S-1-5-32-5[0-9][0-9]$";
let WellKnownGroupSID = "S-1-5-21-[0-9]*-[0-9]*-[0-9]*-5[0-9][0-9]$|S-1-5-21-[0-9]*-[0-9]*-[0-9]*-1102$|S-1-5-21-[0-9]*-[0-9]*-[0-9]*-1103$|S-1-5-21-[0-9]*-[0-9]*-[0-9]*-498$|S-1-5-21-[0-9]*-[0-9]*-[0-9]*-1000$";
let GroupAddition = (union isfuzzy=true
(SecurityEvent
// 4728 - A member was added to a security-enabled global group
// 4732 - A member was added to a security-enabled local group
// 4756 - A member was added to a security-enabled universal group
| where EventID in ("4728", "4732", "4756")
| where AccountType =~ "User"
// Exclude Remote Desktop Users group: S-1-5-32-555
| where TargetSid !in ("S-1-5-32-555")
| where TargetSid matches regex WellKnownLocalSID or TargetSid matches regex WellKnownGroupSID
| project GroupAddTime = TimeGenerated, GroupAddEventID = EventID, GroupAddActivity = Activity, GroupAddComputer = Computer,
GroupAddTargetAccount = TargetAccount, GroupAddTargetUserName = TargetUserName, GroupAddTargetDomainName = TargetDomainName, GroupAddTargetSid = TargetSid,
GroupAddSubjectAccount = SubjectAccount, GroupAddSubjectUserName = SubjectUserName, GroupAddSubjectDomainName = SubjectDomainName, GroupAddSubjectUserSid = SubjectUserSid,
GroupSid = MemberSid
),
(
WindowsEvent
// 4728 - A member was added to a security-enabled global group
// 4732 - A member was added to a security-enabled local group
// 4756 - A member was added to a security-enabled universal group
| where EventID in ("4728", "4732", "4756") and not(EventData has "S-1-5-32-555")
| extend SubjectUserSid = tostring(EventData.SubjectUserSid)
| extend Account = strcat(tostring(EventData.SubjectDomainName),"\\", tostring(EventData.SubjectUserName))
| extend AccountType=case(Account endswith "$" or SubjectUserSid in ("S-1-5-18", "S-1-5-19", "S-1-5-20"), "Machine", isempty(SubjectUserSid), "", "User")
| extend MemberName = tostring(EventData.MemberName)
| where AccountType =~ "User"
// Exclude Remote Desktop Users group: S-1-5-32-555
| extend TargetSid = tostring(EventData.TargetSid)
| where TargetSid !in ("S-1-5-32-555")
| where TargetSid matches regex WellKnownLocalSID or TargetSid matches regex WellKnownGroupSID
| extend TargetAccount = strcat(EventData.TargetDomainName,"\\", EventData.TargetUserName)
| extend MemberSid = tostring(EventData.MemberSid)
| extend Activity= "GroupAddActivity"
| project GroupAddTime = TimeGenerated, GroupAddEventID = EventID, GroupAddActivity = Activity, GroupAddComputer = Computer,
GroupAddTargetAccount = TargetAccount, GroupAddTargetUserName = tostring(EventData.TargetUserName), GroupAddTargetDomainName = tostring(EventData.TargetDomainName), GroupAddTargetSid = TargetSid,
GroupAddSubjectAccount = Account, GroupAddSubjectUserName = tostring(EventData.SubjectUserName), GroupAddSubjectDomainName = tostring(EventData.SubjectDomainName), GroupAddSubjectUserSid = SubjectUserSid,
GroupSid = MemberSid
));
let GroupCreated = (union isfuzzy=true
(SecurityEvent
// 4727 - A security-enabled global group was created
// 4731 - A security-enabled local group was created
// 4754 - A security-enabled universal group was created
| where EventID in ("4727", "4731", "4754")
| where AccountType =~ "User"
| project GroupCreateTime = TimeGenerated, GroupCreateEventID = EventID, GroupCreateActivity = Activity, GroupCreateComputer = Computer,
GroupCreateTargetAccount = TargetAccount, GroupCreateTargetUserName = TargetUserName, GroupCreateTargetDomainName = TargetDomainName,
GroupCreateSubjectAccount = SubjectAccount, GroupCreateSubjectUserName = SubjectUserName, GroupCreateSubjectDomainName = SubjectDomainName, GroupCreateSubjectUserSid = SubjectUserSid,
GroupSid = TargetSid
),
(WindowsEvent
// 4727 - A security-enabled global group was created
// 4731 - A security-enabled local group was created
// 4754 - A security-enabled universal group was created
| where EventID in ("4727", "4731", "4754")
| extend SubjectUserSid = tostring(EventData.SubjectUserSid)
| extend Account = strcat(tostring(EventData.SubjectDomainName),"\\", tostring(EventData.SubjectUserName))
| extend AccountType=case(Account endswith "$", "Machine", iff(SubjectUserSid in ("S-1-5-18", "S-1-5-19", "S-1-5-20"), "Machine", iff(isempty(SubjectUserSid), "", "User")))
| where AccountType =~ "User"
| extend TargetAccount = strcat(EventData.TargetDomainName,"\\", EventData.TargetUserName)
| extend SubjectAccount = strcat(EventData.SubjectDomainName,"\\", EventData.SubjectUserName)
| extend TargetSid = tostring(EventData.TargetSid)
| extend Activity= "GroupAddActivity"
| project GroupCreateTime = TimeGenerated, GroupCreateEventID = EventID, GroupCreateActivity = Activity, GroupCreateComputer = Computer,
GroupCreateTargetAccount = TargetAccount, GroupCreateTargetUserName = tostring(EventData.TargetUserName), GroupCreateTargetDomainName = tostring(EventData.TargetDomainName),
GroupCreateSubjectAccount = SubjectAccount, GroupCreateSubjectUserName = tostring(EventData.SubjectUserName), GroupCreateSubjectDomainName = tostring(EventData.SubjectDomainName),GroupCreateSubjectUserSid = SubjectUserSid,
GroupSid = TargetSid
));
GroupCreated
| join (
GroupAddition
) on GroupSid
| extend GroupCreateHostName = tostring(split(GroupCreateComputer , ".")[0]), DomainIndex = toint(indexof(GroupCreateComputer , '.'))
| extend GroupCreateHostNameDomain = iff(DomainIndex != -1, substring(GroupCreateComputer , DomainIndex + 1), GroupCreateComputer)
| extend GroupAddHostName = tostring(split(GroupAddComputer , ".")[0]), DomainIndex = toint(indexof(GroupAddComputer , '.'))
| extend GroupAddHostNameDomain = iff(DomainIndex != -1, substring(GroupAddComputer , DomainIndex + 1), GroupAddComputer)
| project-away DomainIndex
id: a7564d76-ec6b-4519-a66b-fcc80c42332b
name: Group created then added to built in domain local or global group
description: |
'Identifies when a recently created Group was added to a privileged built in domain local group or global group such as the Enterprise Admins, Cert Publishers or DnsAdmins. Be sure to verify this is an expected addition.
References: For AD SID mappings - https://docs.microsoft.com/windows/security/identity-protection/access-control/active-directory-security-groups.'
severity: Medium
requiredDataConnectors:
- connectorId: SecurityEvents
dataTypes:
- SecurityEvent
- connectorId: WindowsSecurityEvents
dataTypes:
- SecurityEvent
- connectorId: WindowsForwardedEvents
dataTypes:
- WindowsEvent
queryFrequency: 1h
queryPeriod: 1h
triggerOperator: gt
triggerThreshold: 0
tactics:
- Persistence
- PrivilegeEscalation
relevantTechniques:
- T1098
- T1078
query: |
let WellKnownLocalSID = "S-1-5-32-5[0-9][0-9]$";
let WellKnownGroupSID = "S-1-5-21-[0-9]*-[0-9]*-[0-9]*-5[0-9][0-9]$|S-1-5-21-[0-9]*-[0-9]*-[0-9]*-1102$|S-1-5-21-[0-9]*-[0-9]*-[0-9]*-1103$|S-1-5-21-[0-9]*-[0-9]*-[0-9]*-498$|S-1-5-21-[0-9]*-[0-9]*-[0-9]*-1000$";
let GroupAddition = (union isfuzzy=true
(SecurityEvent
// 4728 - A member was added to a security-enabled global group
// 4732 - A member was added to a security-enabled local group
// 4756 - A member was added to a security-enabled universal group
| where EventID in ("4728", "4732", "4756")
| where AccountType =~ "User"
// Exclude Remote Desktop Users group: S-1-5-32-555
| where TargetSid !in ("S-1-5-32-555")
| where TargetSid matches regex WellKnownLocalSID or TargetSid matches regex WellKnownGroupSID
| project GroupAddTime = TimeGenerated, GroupAddEventID = EventID, GroupAddActivity = Activity, GroupAddComputer = Computer,
GroupAddTargetAccount = TargetAccount, GroupAddTargetUserName = TargetUserName, GroupAddTargetDomainName = TargetDomainName, GroupAddTargetSid = TargetSid,
GroupAddSubjectAccount = SubjectAccount, GroupAddSubjectUserName = SubjectUserName, GroupAddSubjectDomainName = SubjectDomainName, GroupAddSubjectUserSid = SubjectUserSid,
GroupSid = MemberSid
),
(
WindowsEvent
// 4728 - A member was added to a security-enabled global group
// 4732 - A member was added to a security-enabled local group
// 4756 - A member was added to a security-enabled universal group
| where EventID in ("4728", "4732", "4756") and not(EventData has "S-1-5-32-555")
| extend SubjectUserSid = tostring(EventData.SubjectUserSid)
| extend Account = strcat(tostring(EventData.SubjectDomainName),"\\", tostring(EventData.SubjectUserName))
| extend AccountType=case(Account endswith "$" or SubjectUserSid in ("S-1-5-18", "S-1-5-19", "S-1-5-20"), "Machine", isempty(SubjectUserSid), "", "User")
| extend MemberName = tostring(EventData.MemberName)
| where AccountType =~ "User"
// Exclude Remote Desktop Users group: S-1-5-32-| Sentinel Table | Notes |
|---|---|
SecurityEvent | Ensure this data connector is enabled |
WindowsEvent | Ensure this data connector is enabled |
Scenario: Scheduled Job Adds Group to Admin Group
Description: A scheduled task or service account runs a script that creates a temporary group and adds it to a built-in domain global group for automation purposes.
Filter/Exclusion: EventID != 4728 or GroupCreatedBy != "Scheduled Task" (if the tool is known)
Scenario: Group Created for Testing Purposes
Description: A system administrator creates a test group and manually adds it to a built-in domain local group to simulate access for testing configurations.
Filter/Exclusion: GroupCreatedBy == "Local Administrator" or GroupCreatedBy == "TestUser"
Scenario: Group Sync from Identity Provider (IdP)
Description: A group is created in Azure AD and synchronized to on-premises Active Directory, and during sync, it is added to a built-in domain global group.
Filter/Exclusion: GroupCreatedBy == "Azure AD Sync" or GroupCreatedBy == "Azure AD"
Scenario: Group Created by PowerShell Script for Compliance
Description: A PowerShell script runs to create a group for compliance purposes and adds it to a built-in domain local group for audit logging.
Filter/Exclusion: GroupCreatedBy == "PowerShell" or GroupCreatedBy == "ComplianceScript"
Scenario: Group Created by Group Policy Object (GPO)
Description: A GPO is configured to create a group and add it to a built-in domain global group as part of a security configuration baseline.
Filter/Exclusion: GroupCreatedBy == "Group Policy" or GroupCreatedBy == "GPO"