title: OpenCanary - RDP New Connection Attempt
id: 598290cf-5932-45cd-9123-be1e05ab4f2e
status: experimental
description: Detects instances where an RDP service on an OpenCanary node has had a connection attempt.
references:
    - https://opencanary.readthedocs.io/en/latest/starting/configuration.html#services-configuration
    - https://github.com/thinkst/opencanary/blob/a0896adfcaf0328cfd5829fe10d2878c7445138e/opencanary/logger.py#L52
author: Marco Pedrinazzi (@pedrinazziM)
date: 2026-01-06
tags:
    - attack.initial-access
    - attack.lateral-movement
    - attack.persistence
    - attack.t1133
    - attack.t1021.001
logsource:
    category: application
    product: opencanary
detection:
    selection:
        logtype: 14001
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Unlikely
level: high

title: Outbound RDP Connections Over Non-Standard Tools
id: ed74fe75-7594-4b4b-ae38-e38e3fd2eb23
status: test
description: |
    Detects Non-Standard tools initiating a connection over port 3389 indicating possible lateral movement.
    An initial baseline is required before using this utility to exclude third party RDP tooling that you might use.
references:
    - https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2019-0708
author: Markus Neis
date: 2019-05-15
modified: 2024-02-09
tags:
    - attack.lateral-movement
    - attack.t1021.001
    - car.2013-07-002
logsource:
    category: network_connection
    product: windows
detection:
    selection:
        DestinationPort: 3389
        Initiated: 'true'
    filter_main_mstsc:
        Image:
            - 'C:\Windows\System32\mstsc.exe'
            - 'C:\Windows\SysWOW64\mstsc.exe'
    filter_optional_dns:
        # Note: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/pull/2249
        Image: 'C:\Windows\System32\dns.exe'
        SourcePort: 53
        Protocol: 'udp'
    filter_optional_avast:
        Image|endswith:
            - '\Avast Software\Avast\AvastSvc.exe'
            - '\Avast\AvastSvc.exe'
    filter_optional_sysinternals_rdcman:
        Image|endswith: '\RDCMan.exe'
    filter_optional_chrome:
        Image: 'C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe'
    filter_optional_third_party:
        Image|endswith:
            - '\FSAssessment.exe'
            - '\FSDiscovery.exe'
            - '\MobaRTE.exe'
            - '\mRemote.exe'
            - '\mRemoteNG.exe'
            - '\Passwordstate.exe'
            - '\RemoteDesktopManager.exe'
            - '\RemoteDesktopManager64.exe'
            - '\RemoteDesktopManagerFree.exe'
            - '\RSSensor.exe'
            - '\RTS2App.exe'
            - '\RTSApp.exe'
            - '\spiceworks-finder.exe'
            - '\Terminals.exe'
            - '\ws_TunnelService.exe'
    filter_optional_thor:
        Image|endswith:
            - '\thor.exe'
            - '\thor64.exe'
    filter_optional_splunk:
        Image|startswith: 'C:\Program Files\SplunkUniversalForwarder\bin\'
    filter_optional_sentinel_one:
        Image|endswith: '\Ranger\SentinelRanger.exe'
    filter_optional_firefox:
        Image: 'C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe'
    filter_optional_tsplus:  # Some RAS
        Image:
            - 'C:\Program Files\TSplus\Java\bin\HTML5service.exe'
            - 'C:\Program Files (x86)\TSplus\Java\bin\HTML5service.exe'
    filter_optional_null:
        Image: null
    filter_optional_empty:
        Image: ''
    filter_optional_unknown:
        Image: '<unknown process>'
    condition: selection and not 1 of filter_main_* and not 1 of filter_optional_*
falsepositives:
    - Third party RDP tools
level: high

title: Potential Tampering With RDP Related Registry Keys Via Reg.EXE
id: 0d5675be-bc88-4172-86d3-1e96a4476536
status: test
description: Detects the execution of "reg.exe" for enabling/disabling the RDP service on the host by tampering with the 'CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server' values
references:
    - https://thedfirreport.com/2022/02/21/qbot-and-zerologon-lead-to-full-domain-compromise/
    - http://etutorials.org/Microsoft+Products/microsoft+windows+server+2003+terminal+services/Chapter+6+Registry/Registry+Keys+for+Terminal+Services/ # Contain description for most of the keys mentioned here (check it out if you want more information
    - http://woshub.com/rds-shadow-how-to-connect-to-a-user-session-in-windows-server-2012-r2/ # Related to the Shadow RPD technique
    - https://admx.help/HKLM/SOFTWARE/Policies/Microsoft/Windows%20NT/Terminal%20Services # Contain description for most of the keys mentioned here (check it out if you want more information)
    - https://bazaar.abuse.ch/sample/6f3aa9362d72e806490a8abce245331030d1ab5ac77e400dd475748236a6cc81/
    - https://blog.sekoia.io/darkgate-internals/
    - https://blog.talosintelligence.com/understanding-the-phobos-affiliate-structure/
    - https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/02c7d02fe1f1feb0fc7944550408ea8224273994/atomics/T1112/T1112.md#atomic-test-63---disable-remote-desktop-anti-alias-setting-through-registry
    - https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/02c7d02fe1f1feb0fc7944550408ea8224273994/atomics/T1112/T1112.md#atomic-test-64---disable-remote-desktop-security-settings-through-registry
    - https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/dd526047b8c399c312fee47d1e6fb531164da54d/atomics/T1112/T1112.yaml#L790
    - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/customize/desktop/unattend/microsoft-windows-terminalservices-rdp-winstationextensions-securitylayer
    - https://threathunterplaybook.com/hunts/windows/190407-RegModEnableRDPConnections/notebook.html
    - https://twitter.com/SagieSec/status/1469001618863624194?t=HRf0eA0W1YYzkTSHb-Ky1A&s=03 # Related to the Shadow RPD technique
    - https://web.archive.org/web/20200929062532/https://blog.menasec.net/2019/02/threat-hunting-rdp-hijacking-via.html # Related to RDP hijacking via the "ServiceDll" key
    - https://www.trendmicro.com/en_us/research/25/i/unmasking-the-gentlemen-ransomware.html
author: pH-T (Nextron Systems), @Kostastsale, TheDFIRReport
date: 2022-02-12
modified: 2025-11-22
tags:
    - attack.persistence
    - attack.lateral-movement
    - attack.defense-impairment
    - attack.t1021.001
    - attack.t1112
logsource:
    product: windows
    category: process_creation
detection:
    selection_main_img:
        - Image|endswith: '\reg.exe'
        - OriginalFileName: 'reg.exe'
    selection_main_cli:
        CommandLine|contains|all:
            - ' add '
            - '\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server'
            - 'REG_DWORD'
            - ' /f'
    selection_values_1:
        CommandLine|contains|all:
            - 'Licensing Core'
            - 'EnableConcurrentSessions'
    selection_values_2:
        CommandLine|contains:
            - 'AllowTSConnections'
            - 'fDenyTSConnections'
            - 'fEnableWinStation'
            - 'fSingleSessionPerUser'
            - 'IdleWinStationPoolCount'
            - 'MaxInstanceCount'
            - 'SecurityLayer'
            - 'TSAdvertise'
            - 'TSAppCompat'
            - 'TSEnabled'
            - 'TSUserEnabled'
            - 'WinStations\RDP-Tcp'
    filter_main_values_tls:
        CommandLine|contains|all:
            - 'SecurityLayer'
            - '02'  # TLS Enabled
    condition: all of selection_main_* and 1 of selection_values_* and not 1 of filter_main_*
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: high

title: Publicly Accessible RDP Service
id: 1fc0809e-06bf-4de3-ad52-25e5263b7623
status: test
description: |
    Detects connections from routable IPs to an RDP listener. Which is indicative of a publicly-accessible RDP service.
author: Josh Brower @DefensiveDepth
date: 2020-08-22
modified: 2024-03-13
tags:
    - attack.lateral-movement
    - attack.t1021.001
logsource:
    product: zeek
    service: rdp
detection:
    selection:
        id.orig_h|cidr:
            - '::1/128'  # IPv6 loopback
            - '10.0.0.0/8'
            - '127.0.0.0/8'
            - '172.16.0.0/12'
            - '192.168.0.0/16'
            - '169.254.0.0/16'
            - '2620:83:8000::/48'
            - 'fc00::/7'  # IPv6 private addresses
            - 'fe80::/10'  # IPv6 link-local addresses
    # approved_rdp:
      # dst_ip:
        # - x.x.x.x
    condition: not selection # and not approved_rdp
falsepositives:
    - Although it is recommended to NOT have RDP exposed to the internet, verify that this is a) allowed b) the server has not already been compromised via some brute force or remote exploit since it has been exposed to the internet. Work to secure the server if you are unable to remove it from being exposed to the internet.
level: high

title: RDP Login from Localhost
id: 51e33403-2a37-4d66-a574-1fda1782cc31
status: test
description: RDP login with localhost source address may be a tunnelled login
references:
    - https://www.fireeye.com/blog/threat-research/2019/01/bypassing-network-restrictions-through-rdp-tunneling.html
author: Thomas Patzke
date: 2019-01-28
modified: 2022-10-09
tags:
    - attack.lateral-movement
    - car.2013-07-002
    - attack.t1021.001
logsource:
    product: windows
    service: security
detection:
    selection:
        EventID: 4624
        LogonType: 10
        IpAddress:
            - '::1'
            - '127.0.0.1'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: high

title: RDP Over Reverse SSH Tunnel
id: 5f699bc5-5446-4a4a-a0b7-5ef2885a3eb4
status: test
description: Detects svchost hosting RDP termsvcs communicating with the loopback address and on TCP port 3389
references:
    - https://twitter.com/cyb3rops/status/1096842275437625346
author: Samir Bousseaden
date: 2019-02-16
modified: 2024-03-12
tags:
    - attack.command-and-control
    - attack.t1572
    - attack.lateral-movement
    - attack.t1021.001
    - car.2013-07-002
logsource:
    category: network_connection
    product: windows
detection:
    selection_img:
        Image|endswith: '\svchost.exe'
        Initiated: 'true'
        SourcePort: 3389
    selection_destination:
        DestinationIp|cidr:
            - '127.0.0.0/8'
            - '::1/128'
    condition: all of selection_*
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: high

title: RDP over Reverse SSH Tunnel WFP
id: 5bed80b6-b3e8-428e-a3ae-d3c757589e41
status: test
description: Detects svchost hosting RDP termsvcs communicating with the loopback address
references:
    - https://twitter.com/SBousseaden/status/1096148422984384514
    - https://github.com/sbousseaden/EVTX-ATTACK-SAMPLES/blob/44fbe85f72ee91582876b49678f9a26292a155fb/Command%20and%20Control/DE_RDP_Tunnel_5156.evtx
author: Samir Bousseaden
date: 2019-02-16
modified: 2022-09-02
tags:
    - attack.command-and-control
    - attack.lateral-movement
    - attack.t1090.001
    - attack.t1090.002
    - attack.t1021.001
    - car.2013-07-002
logsource:
    product: windows
    service: security
detection:
    selection:
        EventID: 5156
    sourceRDP:
        SourcePort: 3389
        DestAddress:
            - '127.*'
            - '::1'
    destinationRDP:
        DestPort: 3389
        SourceAddress:
            - '127.*'
            - '::1'
    filter_app_container:
        FilterOrigin: 'AppContainer Loopback'
    filter_thor:  # checking BlueKeep vulnerability
        Application|endswith:
            - '\thor.exe'
            - '\thor64.exe'
    condition: selection and ( sourceRDP or destinationRDP ) and not 1 of filter*
falsepositives:
    - Programs that connect locally to the RDP port
level: high

title: RDP to HTTP or HTTPS Target Ports
id: b1e5da3b-ca8e-4adf-915c-9921f3d85481
status: test
description: Detects svchost hosting RDP termsvcs communicating to target systems on TCP port 80 or 443
references:
    - https://twitter.com/tekdefense/status/1519711183162556416?s=12&t=OTsHCBkQOTNs1k3USz65Zg
    - https://www.mandiant.com/resources/bypassing-network-restrictions-through-rdp-tunneling
author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems)
date: 2022-04-29
modified: 2022-07-14
tags:
    - attack.command-and-control
    - attack.t1572
    - attack.lateral-movement
    - attack.t1021.001
    - car.2013-07-002
logsource:
    category: network_connection
    product: windows
detection:
    selection:
        Image|endswith: '\svchost.exe'
        Initiated: 'true'
        SourcePort: 3389
        DestinationPort:
            - 80
            - 443
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: high

title: Suspicious Plink Port Forwarding
id: 48a61b29-389f-4032-b317-b30de6b95314
status: test
description: Detects suspicious Plink tunnel port forwarding to a local port
references:
    - https://www.real-sec.com/2019/04/bypassing-network-restrictions-through-rdp-tunneling/
    - https://medium.com/@informationsecurity/remote-ssh-tunneling-with-plink-exe-7831072b3d7d
author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems)
date: 2021-01-19
modified: 2022-10-09
tags:
    - attack.command-and-control
    - attack.t1572
    - attack.lateral-movement
    - attack.t1021.001
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection:
        Description: 'Command-line SSH, Telnet, and Rlogin client'
        CommandLine|contains: ' -R '
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Administrative activity using a remote port forwarding to a local port
level: high

title: Suspicious RDP Redirect Using TSCON
id: f72aa3e8-49f9-4c7d-bd74-f8ab84ff9bbb
status: test
description: Detects a suspicious RDP session redirect using tscon.exe
references:
    - http://www.korznikov.com/2017/03/0-day-or-feature-privilege-escalation.html
    - https://medium.com/@networksecurity/rdp-hijacking-how-to-hijack-rds-and-remoteapp-sessions-transparently-to-move-through-an-da2a1e73a5f6
    - https://www.hackingarticles.in/rdp-session-hijacking-with-tscon/
author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems)
date: 2018-03-17
modified: 2023-05-16
tags:
    - attack.lateral-movement
    - attack.t1563.002
    - attack.t1021.001
    - car.2013-07-002
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection:
        CommandLine|contains: ' /dest:rdp-tcp#'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: high

title: User Added to Remote Desktop Users Group
id: ffa28e60-bdb1-46e0-9f82-05f7a61cc06e
related:
    - id: ad720b90-25ad-43ff-9b5e-5c841facc8e5 # Admin groups
      type: similar
    - id: 10fb649c-3600-4d37-b1e6-56ea90bb7e09 # Privileged groups
      type: similar
status: test
description: Detects addition of users to the local Remote Desktop Users group via "Net" or "Add-LocalGroupMember".
references:
    - https://www.microsoft.com/security/blog/2021/11/16/evolving-trends-in-iranian-threat-actor-activity-mstic-presentation-at-cyberwarcon-2021/
author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems)
date: 2021-12-06
modified: 2022-09-09
tags:
    - attack.initial-access
    - attack.persistence
    - attack.lateral-movement
    - attack.t1133
    - attack.t1136.001
    - attack.t1021.001
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection_main:
        - CommandLine|contains|all:
              - 'localgroup '
              - ' /add'
        - CommandLine|contains|all:
              - 'Add-LocalGroupMember '
              - ' -Group '
    selection_group:
        CommandLine|contains:
            - 'Remote Desktop Users'
            - 'Utilisateurs du Bureau à distance' # French for "Remote Desktop Users"
            - 'Usuarios de escritorio remoto' # Spanish for "Remote Desktop Users"
    condition: all of selection_*
falsepositives:
    - Administrative activity
level: high

title: Denied Access To Remote Desktop
id: 8e5c03fa-b7f0-11ea-b242-07e0576828d9
status: test
description: |
  This event is generated when an authenticated user who is not allowed to log on remotely attempts to connect to this computer through Remote Desktop.
  Often, this event can be generated by attackers when searching for available windows servers in the network.
references:
    - https://www.ultimatewindowssecurity.com/securitylog/encyclopedia/event.aspx?eventid=4825
author: Pushkarev Dmitry
date: 2020-06-27
modified: 2021-11-27
tags:
    - attack.lateral-movement
    - attack.t1021.001
logsource:
    product: windows
    service: security
detection:
    selection:
        EventID: 4825
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Valid user was not added to RDP group
level: medium

title: New Remote Desktop Connection Initiated Via Mstsc.EXE
id: 954f0af7-62dd-418f-b3df-a84bc2c7a774
status: test
description: |
    Detects the usage of "mstsc.exe" with the "/v" flag to initiate a connection to a remote server.
    Adversaries may use valid accounts to log into a computer using the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP). The adversary may then perform actions as the logged-on user.
references:
    - https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1021.001/T1021.001.md#t1021001---remote-desktop-protocol
    - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/mstsc
author: frack113
date: 2022-01-07
modified: 2024-06-04
tags:
    - attack.lateral-movement
    - attack.t1021.001
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection_img:
        - Image|endswith: '\mstsc.exe'
        - OriginalFileName: 'mstsc.exe'
    selection_cli:
        CommandLine|contains|windash: ' /v:'
    filter_optional_wsl:
        # Example: mstsc.exe /v:XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX /hvsocketserviceid:XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX /silent /wslg /plugin:WSLDVC /wslgsharedmemorypath:WSL\XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX\wslg C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\WSL\wslg.rdp
        ParentImage: 'C:\Windows\System32\lxss\wslhost.exe'
        CommandLine|contains: 'C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\WSL\wslg.rdp'
    condition: all of selection_* and not 1 of filter_optional_*
falsepositives:
    - WSL (Windows Sub System For Linux)
level: medium

title: Port Forwarding Activity Via SSH.EXE
id: 327f48c1-a6db-4eb8-875a-f6981f1b0183
status: test
description: Detects port forwarding activity via SSH.exe
references:
    - https://www.absolomb.com/2018-01-26-Windows-Privilege-Escalation-Guide/
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems)
date: 2022-10-12
modified: 2024-03-05
tags:
    - attack.command-and-control
    - attack.lateral-movement
    - attack.t1572
    - attack.t1021.001
    - attack.t1021.004
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection:
        Image|endswith: '\ssh.exe'
        CommandLine|contains|windash: ' -R '
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Administrative activity using a remote port forwarding to a local port
level: medium

title: RDP Enable or Disable via Win32_TerminalServiceSetting WMI Class
id: 4b8f6d3a-9c5e-4f2a-a7d8-6b9c3e5f2a8d
related:
    - id: a2863fbc-d5cb-48d5-83fb-d976d4b1743b
      type: similar
status: experimental
description: |
    Detects enabling or disabling of Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) using alternate methods such as WMIC or PowerShell.
    In PowerShell one-liner commands, the "SetAllowTSConnections" method of the "Win32_TerminalServiceSetting" class may be used to enable or disable RDP.
    In WMIC, the "rdtoggle" alias or "Win32_TerminalServiceSetting" class may be used for the same purpose.
references:
    - https://www.trendmicro.com/en_gb/research/22/e/uncovering-a-kingminer-botnet-attack-using-trend-micro-managed-x.html
    - https://github.com/HackTricks-wiki/hacktricks/blob/72f20a3fa26775b932bd819f1824c6377802a768/src/windows-hardening/basic-cmd-for-pentesters.md#firewall
    - https://github.com/Lifailon/RSA/blob/rsa/Sources/RSA-1.4.1.ps1#L1468
author: Daniel Koifman (KoifSec), Swachchhanda Shrawan Poudel (Nextron Systems)
date: 2025-11-15
tags:
    - attack.lateral-movement
    - attack.t1021.001
    - attack.execution
    - attack.t1047
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection_img:
        - Image|endswith:
              - '\wmic.exe'
              - '\powershell.exe'
              - '\pwsh.exe'
        - OriginalFileName:
              - 'wmic.exe'
              - 'PowerShell.EXE'
              - 'pwsh.dll'
    selection_cli_method:
        CommandLine|contains:
            - 'rdtoggle'
            - 'Win32_TerminalServiceSetting'
    selection_cli_property:
        CommandLine|contains: 'SetAllowTSConnections'
    condition: all of selection_*
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate system administrators enabling RDP for remote support
    - System configuration scripts during deployment
level: medium