Find WMI event subscriptions that let attackers retain access to Windows systems. Correlate Sysmon events with stored subscriptions and Autoruns results, inspect execution triggers and commands, and document risks and recommended remediation.
Detect WMI event subscription persistence (MITRE T1546.003) by analyzing Sysmon Event IDs 19, 20, and 21 for malicious EventFilter, EventConsumer, and FilterToConsumerBinding creation, cross-referenced against root\subscription namespace contents and Sysinternals Autoruns. Use when hunting WMI-based persistence, triaging a Sysmon alert on these event IDs, or during incident response and purple-team validation of WMI defenses.
Review the instructions the agent will receive before you install.
| Concept | Description |
|---|---|
| Sysmon Event 19 | WmiEventFilter creation detected |
| Sysmon Event 20 | WmiEventConsumer creation detected |
| Sysmon Event 21 | WmiEventConsumerToFilter binding detected |
| T1546.003 | Event Triggered Execution: WMI Event Subscription |
| CommandLineEventConsumer | Executes system commands when filter triggers |
| ActiveScriptEventConsumer | Runs VBScript/JScript when filter triggers |
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Sysmon | Windows event monitoring for WMI activity |
| WMI Explorer | GUI tool for browsing WMI namespaces |
| Autoruns | Sysinternals tool listing persistence mechanisms |
| PowerShell Get-WMIObject | Enumerate WMI event subscriptions |
| Splunk | SIEM analysis of Sysmon WMI events |
| Velociraptor | Endpoint WMI artifact collection |
Hunt ID: TH-WMI-[DATE]-[SEQ]
Technique: T1546.003
Host: [Hostname]
Event Type: [EventFilter|EventConsumer|Binding]
Consumer Type: [CommandLine|ActiveScript]
WQL Query: [Filter query text]
Command: [Executed command or script]
Risk Level: [Critical/High/Medium/Low]
Recommended Action: [Remove subscription, investigate lateral movement]
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