Source: Windows Incident Response
Author: Unknown
URL: http://windowsir.blogspot.com/2025/06/program-execution-follow-up-pt-ii.html
ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY: Validating program execution through multiple correlated data sources is crucial, rather than assuming artifacts alone indicate successful execution.
MAIN POINTS:
- ShimCache and AmCache artifacts alone do not reliably indicate successful program execution.
- Security Event Log (4720) confirms successful creation of user accounts beyond just command execution.
- “net user” commands may inaccurately imply new account creation when only password is changed.
- Application Event Log MsiInstaller records confirm actual installations via msiexec.exe.
- Application Pop-up or Windows Error Reporting logs can show unsuccessful program launches.
- Antivirus logs indicate if threats were successfully quarantined or if malware execution continued.
- WMI-Activity/5861 event logs confirm successful creation of malicious WMI event consumers.
- Parsing Objects.DATA file can verify if malicious event consumers persist in the WMI repository.
- Correlating multiple data sources provides a system-level confirmation of actual execution outcomes.
- Validating findings prevents incorrect decisions and ensures accurate resource allocation.
TAKEAWAYS:
- Always validate artifact interpretations with complementary log sources.
- Single artifacts alone rarely indicate successful execution; cross-reference multiple logs.
- Consider transient and persistent data sources when confirming program execution.
- Build timelines from multiple event logs to accurately validate threat actor actions.
- Ensure your analysis is robust and data-supported, as critical decisions depend on accurate findings.