previously_seen_command_line_arguments.yml

name: Previously seen command line arguments
id: 56059acf-50fe-4f60-98d1-b75b51b5c2f3
version: 3
date: '2026-01-14'
author: Bhavin Patel, Splunk
type: Baseline
status: production
description: This search looks for command-line arguments where `cmd.exe /c` is used
  to execute a program, then creates a baseline of the earliest and latest times we
  have encountered this command-line argument in our dataset within the last 30 days.
search: '| tstats `security_content_summariesonly` min(_time) as firstTime max(_time)
  as lastTime from datamodel=Endpoint.Processes where Processes.process_name=cmd.exe
  AND Processes.process="* /c *" by Processes.process | `drop_dm_object_name(Processes)`'
how_to_implement: You must be ingesting data that records process activity from your
  hosts to populate the Endpoint data model in the Processes node. You must be ingesting
  logs with both the process name and command line from your endpoints. The complete
  process name with command-line arguments are mapped to the "process" field in the
  Endpoint data model.
known_false_positives: No false positives have been identified at this time.
references: []
tags:
  analytic_story:
  - DHS Report TA18-074A
  - Disabling Security Tools
  - Hidden Cobra Malware
  - Netsh Abuse
  - Orangeworm Attack Group
  - Possible Backdoor Activity Associated With MUDCARP Espionage Campaigns
  - Suspicious Command-Line Executions
  - Suspicious MSHTA Activity
  - IcedID
  detections:
  - First time seen command line argument
  product:
  - Splunk Enterprise
  - Splunk Enterprise Security
  - Splunk Cloud
  security_domain: endpoint