Windows Management Instrumentation

Adversaries may abuse Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) to execute malicious commands and payloads. WMI is an administration feature that provides a uniform environment to access Windows system components. The WMI service enables both local and remote access, though the latter is facilitated by Remote Services such as Distributed Component Object Model (DCOM) and Windows Remote Management (WinRM).[1] Remote WMI over DCOM operates using port 135, whereas WMI over WinRM operates over port 5985 when using HTTP and 5986 for HTTPS.[1][2]

An adversary can use WMI to interact with local and remote systems and use it as a means to execute various behaviors, such as gathering information for Discovery as well as remote Execution of files as part of Lateral Movement. [3] [2]

ID: T1047
Sub-techniques:  No sub-techniques
Tactic: Execution
Platforms: Windows
Supports Remote:  Yes
Contributors: @ionstorm
Version: 1.2
Created: 31 May 2017
Last Modified: 20 April 2022

Procedure Examples

ID Name Description
S0331 Agent Tesla

Agent Tesla has used wmi queries to gather information from the system.[4]

G0016 APT29

APT29 used WMI to steal credentials and execute backdoors at a future time.[5] They have also used WMI for the remote execution of files for lateral movement.[6][7]

G0050 APT32

APT32 used WMI to deploy their tools on remote machines and to gather information about the Outlook process.[8]

G0096 APT41

APT41 used WMI in several ways, including for execution of commands via WMIEXEC as well as for persistence via PowerSploit.[9][10]

S0373 Astaroth

Astaroth uses WMIC to execute payloads. [11]

S0640 Avaddon

Avaddon uses wmic.exe to delete shadow copies.[12]

S0534 Bazar

Bazar can execute a WMI query to gather information about the installed antivirus engine.[13][14]

S0089 BlackEnergy

A BlackEnergy 2 plug-in uses WMI to gather victim host details.[15]

G0108 Blue Mockingbird

Blue Mockingbird has used wmic.exe to set environment variables.[16]

S0674 CharmPower

CharmPower can use wmic to gather information from a system.[17]

G0114 Chimera

Chimera has used WMIC to execute remote commands.[18][19]

S0154 Cobalt Strike

Cobalt Strike can use WMI to deliver a payload to a remote host.[20][21]

S0488 CrackMapExec

CrackMapExec can execute remote commands using Windows Management Instrumentation.[22]

S0673 DarkWatchman

DarkWatchman can use WMI to execute commands.[23]

S0616 DEATHRANSOM

DEATHRANSOM has the ability to use WMI to delete volume shadow copies.[24]

G0009 Deep Panda

The Deep Panda group is known to utilize WMI for lateral movement.[25]

S0062 DustySky

The DustySky dropper uses Windows Management Instrumentation to extract information about the operating system and whether an anti-virus is active.[26]

S0605 EKANS

EKANS can use Windows Mangement Instrumentation (WMI) calls to execute operations.[27]

S0367 Emotet

Emotet has used WMI to execute powershell.exe.[28]

S0363 Empire

Empire can use WMI to deliver a payload to a remote host.[29]

S0396 EvilBunny

EvilBunny has used WMI to gather information about the system.[30]

S0568 EVILNUM

EVILNUM has used the Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) tool to enumerate infected machines.[31]

S0267 FELIXROOT

FELIXROOT uses WMI to query the Windows Registry.[32]

G0037 FIN6

FIN6 has used WMI to automate the remote execution of PowerShell scripts.[33]

G0046 FIN7

FIN7 has used WMI to install malware on targeted systems.[34]

G0061 FIN8

FIN8's malicious spearphishing payloads use WMI to launch malware and spawn cmd.exe execution. FIN8 has also used WMIC for lateral movement as well as during and post compromise cleanup activities.[35][36][37]

S0618 FIVEHANDS

FIVEHANDS can use WMI to delete files on a target machine.[24][38]

S0381 FlawedAmmyy

FlawedAmmyy leverages WMI to enumerate anti-virus on the victim.[39]

G0101 Frankenstein

Frankenstein has used WMI queries to check if various security applications were running, as well as the operating system version.[40]

G0093 GALLIUM

GALLIUM used WMI for execution to assist in lateral movement as well as for installing tools across multiple assets.[41]

G0047 Gamaredon Group

Gamaredon Group has used WMI to execute scripts used for discovery.[42]

S0237 GravityRAT

GravityRAT collects various information via WMI requests, including CPU information in the Win32_Processor entry (Processor ID, Name, Manufacturer and the clock speed).[43]

S0151 HALFBAKED

HALFBAKED can use WMI queries to gather system information.[44]

S0617 HELLOKITTY

HELLOKITTY can use WMI to delete volume shadow copies.[24]

S0698 HermeticWizard

HermeticWizard can use WMI to create a new process on a remote machine via C:\windows\system32\cmd.exe /c start C:\windows\system32\\regsvr32.exe /s /iC:\windows\<filename>.dll.[45]

S0376 HOPLIGHT

HOPLIGHT has used WMI to recompile the Managed Object Format (MOF) files in the WMI repository.[46]

S0483 IcedID

IcedID has used WMI to execute binaries.[47]

S0357 Impacket

Impacket's wmiexec module can be used to execute commands through WMI.[48]

G0119 Indrik Spider

Indrik Spider has used WMIC to execute commands on remote computers.[49]

S0283 jRAT

jRAT uses WMIC to identify anti-virus products installed on the victim’s machine and to obtain firewall details.[50]

S0265 Kazuar

Kazuar obtains a list of running processes through WMI querying.[51]

S0250 Koadic

Koadic can use WMI to execute commands.[52]

S0156 KOMPROGO

KOMPROGO is capable of running WMI queries.[53]

G0032 Lazarus Group

Lazarus Group has used WMIC for discovery as well as to execute payloads for persistence and lateral movement.[54][55][56][57][58]

G0065 Leviathan

Leviathan has used WMI for execution.[59]

S0532 Lucifer

Lucifer can use WMI to log into remote machines for propagation.[60]

S0449 Maze

Maze has used WMI to attempt to delete the shadow volumes on a machine, and to connect a virtual machine to the network domain of the victim organization's network.[61][62]

G0045 menuPass

menuPass has used a modified version of pentesting script wmiexec.vbs, which logs into a remote machine using WMI.[63][64][65]

S0688 Meteor

Meteor can use wmic.exe as part of its effort to delete shadow copies.[66]

S0339 Micropsia

Micropsia searches for anti-virus software and firewall products installed on the victim’s machine using WMI.[67][68]

S0553 MoleNet

MoleNet can perform WMI commands on the system.[69]

S0256 Mosquito

Mosquito's installer uses WMI to search for antivirus display names.[70]

G0069 MuddyWater

MuddyWater has used malware that leveraged WMI for execution and querying host information.[71][72][73]

G0129 Mustang Panda

Mustang Panda has executed PowerShell scripts via WMI.[74][75]

G0019 Naikon

Naikon has used WMIC.exe for lateral movement.[76]

S0457 Netwalker

Netwalker can use WMI to delete Shadow Volumes.[77]

S0368 NotPetya

NotPetya can use wmic to help propagate itself across a network.[78][79]

S0340 Octopus

Octopus has used wmic.exe for local discovery information.[80]

G0049 OilRig

OilRig has used WMI for execution.[81]

S0365 Olympic Destroyer

Olympic Destroyer uses WMI to help propagate itself across a network.[82]

S0264 OopsIE

OopsIE uses WMI to perform discovery techniques.[83]

G0116 Operation Wocao

Operation Wocao has used WMI to execute commands.[84]

S0378 PoshC2

PoshC2 has a number of modules that use WMI to execute tasks.[85]

S0194 PowerSploit

PowerSploit's Invoke-WmiCommand CodeExecution module uses WMI to execute and retrieve the output from a PowerShell payload.[86][87]

S0223 POWERSTATS

POWERSTATS can use WMI queries to retrieve data from compromised hosts.[88][72]

S0184 POWRUNER

POWRUNER may use WMI when collecting information about a victim.[89]

S0654 ProLock

ProLock can use WMIC to execute scripts on targeted hosts.[90]

S0650 QakBot

QakBot can execute WMI queries to gather information.[91]

S0241 RATANKBA

RATANKBA uses WMI to perform process monitoring.[92][93]

S0375 Remexi

Remexi executes received commands with wmic.exe (for WMI commands). [94]

S0496 REvil

REvil can use WMI to monitor for and kill specific processes listed in its configuration file.[95][96]

S0270 RogueRobin

RogueRobin uses various WMI queries to check if the sample is running in a sandbox.[97][98]

G0034 Sandworm Team

Sandworm Team has used VBScript to run WMI queries.[99]

S0546 SharpStage

SharpStage can use WMI for execution.[69][100]

S0589 Sibot

Sibot has used WMI to discover network connections and configurations. Sibot has also used the Win32_Process class to execute a malicious DLL.[101]

S0692 SILENTTRINITY

SILENTTRINITY can use WMI for lateral movement.[102]

G0038 Stealth Falcon

Stealth Falcon malware gathers system information via Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI).[103]

S0380 StoneDrill

StoneDrill has used the WMI command-line (WMIC) utility to run tasks.[104]

S0603 Stuxnet

Stuxnet used WMI with an explorer.exe token to execute on a remote share.[105]

S0559 SUNBURST

SUNBURST used the WMI query Select * From Win32_SystemDriver to retrieve a driver listing.[106]

S0663 SysUpdate

SysUpdate can use WMI for execution on a compromised host.[107]

G0027 Threat Group-3390

A Threat Group-3390 tool can use WMI to execute a binary.[108]

S0386 Ursnif

Ursnif droppers have used WMI classes to execute PowerShell commands.[109]

S0476 Valak

Valak can use wmic process call create in a scheduled task to launch plugins and for execution.[110]

S0366 WannaCry

WannaCry utilizes wmic to delete shadow copies.[111][112][113]

G0112 Windshift

Windshift has used WMI to collect information about target machines.[114]

G0102 Wizard Spider

Wizard Spider has used WMI and LDAP queries for network discovery and to move laterally.[115][116][117][118]

S0251 Zebrocy

One variant of Zebrocy uses WMI queries to gather information.[119]

Mitigations

ID Mitigation Description
M1040 Behavior Prevention on Endpoint

On Windows 10, enable Attack Surface Reduction (ASR) rules to block processes created by WMI commands from running. Note: many legitimate tools and applications utilize WMI for command execution. [120]

M1038 Execution Prevention

Use application control configured to block execution of wmic.exe if it is not required for a given system or network to prevent potential misuse by adversaries. For example, in Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016 and above, Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC) policy rules may be applied to block the wmic.exe application and to prevent abuse.[121]

M1026 Privileged Account Management

Prevent credential overlap across systems of administrator and privileged accounts. [2]

M1018 User Account Management

By default, only administrators are allowed to connect remotely using WMI. Restrict other users who are allowed to connect, or disallow all users to connect remotely to WMI.

Detection

ID Data Source Data Component
DS0017 Command Command Execution
DS0029 Network Traffic Network Connection Creation
DS0009 Process Process Creation

Monitor network traffic for WMI connections; the use of WMI in environments that do not typically use WMI may be suspect. Perform process monitoring to capture command-line arguments of "wmic" and detect commands that are used to perform remote behavior. [2]

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