Suspicious Get Local Groups Information - PowerShell

Detects the use of PowerShell modules and cmdlets to gather local group information. Adversaries may use local system permission groups to determine which groups exist and which users belong to a particular group such as the local administrators group.

title: Suspicious Get Local Groups Information - PowerShell
id: fa6a5a45-3ee2-4529-aa14-ee5edc9e29cb
related:
    - id: cef24b90-dddc-4ae1-a09a-8764872f69fc
      type: similar
status: test
description: |
    Detects the use of PowerShell modules and cmdlets to gather local group information.
    Adversaries may use local system permission groups to determine which groups exist and which users belong to a particular group such as the local administrators group.
references:
    - https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1069.001/T1069.001.md
author: frack113
date: 2021-12-12
modified: 2025-08-22
tags:
    - attack.discovery
    - attack.t1069.001
logsource:
    product: windows
    category: ps_script
    definition: 'Requirements: Script Block Logging must be enabled'
detection:
    selection_localgroup:
        ScriptBlockText|contains:
            - 'get-localgroup '
            - 'get-localgroupmember '
    selection_wmi_module:
        ScriptBlockText|contains:
            - 'get-wmiobject '
            - 'gwmi '
            - 'get-ciminstance '
            - 'gcim '
    selection_wmi_class:
        ScriptBlockText|contains: 'win32_group' # Covers both win32_group and win32_groupuser
    condition: selection_localgroup or all of selection_wmi_*
falsepositives:
    - Inventory scripts or admin tasks
level: low

• T1069.001Local Groups

• https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1069.001/T1069.001.md↗