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Xpath query | Powershell | event logs

Following xpath expression you need to do while searching for event mentioning event id:

-FilterXPath 'Events/System/EventId=4624'

the following two queries are same because eventid appears from only one single place in the schema. 

-FilterXPath '*/System/EventId=4624'

or

-FilterXPath '*/*/EventId=4624'

 

for example, when you are given a .evtx file to query:

Get-WinEvent -Path C:\Users\ContosoAdmin\Desktop\SecurityLog.evtx -FilterXPath '*/System/EventID=4624' -MaxEvents 1

C:\Windows\system32>wevtutil.exe qe C:\Users\ContosoAdmin\Desktop\SecurityLog.evtx /lf:true /q:*/System/EventID=4624 /c:1 /rd:true /f:text

 

Query events based on time:

# Query on a specific timestamp (must go to milliseconds!)

Get-WinEvent -LogName System -FilterXPath '*/*/TimeCreated[@SystemTime="2020-03-08T16:24:27.042Z"]'

 

# Query events before a date

Get-WinEvent -LogName System -FilterXPath '*/System/TimeCreated[(@SystemTime<"2020-03-01T00:00:00Z")]'

 

# Query events in a given hour of a day

Get-WinEvent -LogName System -FilterXPath '*/System/TimeCreated[(@SystemTime>"2020-02-11T11:00:00Z") and (@SystemTime<"2020-02-11T12:00:00Z")]'

 

# Query events in the last 24 hours (86400000 ms)

Get-WinEvent -LogName System -FilterXPath '*/*/TimeCreated[timediff(@SystemTime) <= 86400000]'

Get-WinEvent -Path C:\Users\ContosoAdmin\Desktop\SystemLog.evtx -FilterXPath '*/System/TimeCreated[@SystemTime="2019-12-13T08:24:27.5440626"]'

 

Query by username:

Get-WinEvent -Path C:\Users\ContosoAdmin\Desktop\SecurityLog.evtx -MaxEvents 1 -FilterXPath '*/EventData/Data[@Name="TargetUserName"]="eleanor"'

or 

Get-WinEvent -Path C:\Users\ContosoAdmin\Desktop\SecurityLog.evtx -MaxEvents 1 -FilterXPath '*/*/Data[@Name="TargetUserName"]="eleanor"'

 

combining queries:

Get-WinEvent -Path C:\Users\ContosoAdmin\Desktop\SecurityLog.evtx -FilterXPath '*/System/EventID=4624 and */EventData/Data[@Name="TargetUserName"]="eleanor"' -MaxEvents 1

 

Get-WinEvent -Path C:\Users\ContosoAdmin\Desktop\SecurityLog.evtx -FilterXPath '*/System/EventID=4624 and */System/TimeCreated[@SystemTime>"2020-02-26T00:00:00"] and */EventData/Data[@Name="TargetUserName"]="eleanor"' -Oldest -MaxEvents 1

 

 

Reverse sort order:

-Oldest

Get-WinEvent -path C:\Users\ContosoAdmin\Desktop\SecurityLog.evtx -FilterXPath '*/System/EventID=4624 and */EventData/Data[@Name="TargetUserName"]="eleanor"' -Oldest -MaxEvents 1

 

Application query:

package installation event id is 1033. what is the product name of msi that was installed on 02/11/2020 around 11 am?

Get-WinEvent -Path C:\Users\ContosoAdmin\Desktop\ApplicationLog.evtx -FilterXPath '*/*/EventID=1033 and */*/TimeCreated[@SystemTime<"2020-02-11T12:00:00"]'

 

 shutdown events query:

what was the first shutdown time on 02/03/2020? shutdown event id is 13. 

Get-WinEvent -Path C:\Users\ContosoAdmin\Desktop\SystemLog.evtx -FilterXPath '*/*/EventID=13 and */*/TimeCreated[@SystemTime>"2020-02-03T00:00:00"]' -Oldest -MaxEvents 1

 

 

Get-Winevent -Path C:\Users\ContosoAdmin\Desktop\SecurityLog.evtx -FilterXPath '*/*/EventID=4616 and */*/Data[@Name="SubjectDomainName"]="NT AUTHORITY"'

 

Get-Winevent -Path C:\Users\ContosoAdmin\Desktop\SecurityLog.evtx -FilterXPath '*/*/EventID=4624 and */*/Data[@Name="TargetUserName"]="NETWORK SERVICE" and */*/TimeCreated[@SystemTime>"2020-02-26T00:00:00"]' | Format-List -Property Message

 

From user system, say user system is amy.contoso.azure query to domain controller to check users access log:

Get-WinEvent -LogName 'Security' -FilterXPath '*/*/Data="bob"' -MaxEvents 20 -ComputerName dc.contoso.azure
 

Get-WinEvent -LogName 'Security' -FilterXPath '*/*/EventID="4624" and */*/Data="nadia"' -MaxEvents 20 -ComputerName dc.contoso.azure


Detection pass the hash log on to dc using logon type 9:

say from your system you use mimikatz to pass the hash login to the dc. how can we detect those? by doing Pass-the-hash using Mimikatz on your desktop, you left a trace in the security log — a cached interactive logon type 9

Get-WinEvent -LogName 'Security' -FilterXPath '*/*/EventID="4624" and */*/Data="nadia"' -MaxEvents 20  | Format-List | findstr /R /C:'Logon Type:'
 

Get-WinEvent -LogName 'Security' -FilterXPath '*/*/EventID="4624" and */*/Data[@Name="LogonType"]="9"' | Format-List | findstr /R \<Network.Account.Name
 

 

 

 

Avi

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

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