analyst security skill risk: medium

PowerShell Empire Event Log Analyzer

Detects PowerShell Empire artifacts in Windows event logs by matching default launcher strings, Base64 stager patterns, module invocations, user agents, and staging URLs, then outp…

Policy sensitive
Human review

SKILL 4 files · 2 folders

SKILL.md

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---
name: analyzing-powershell-empire-artifacts
description: "Detect PowerShell Empire framework artifacts in Windows event logs by identifying Base64 encoded launcher patterns,"
---
# Analyzing PowerShell Empire Artifacts

## Overview

PowerShell Empire is a post-exploitation framework consisting of listeners, stagers, and agents. Its artifacts leave detectable traces in Windows event logs, particularly PowerShell Script Block Logging (Event ID 4104) and Module Logging (Event ID 4103). This skill analyzes event logs for Empire's default launcher string (`powershell -noP -sta -w 1 -enc`), Base64 encoded payloads containing `System.Net.WebClient` and `FromBase64String`, known module invocations (Invoke-Mimikatz, Invoke-Kerberoast, Invoke-TokenManipulation), and staging URL patterns.


## When to Use

- When investigating security incidents that require analyzing powershell empire artifacts
- When building detection rules or threat hunting queries for this domain
- When SOC analysts need structured procedures for this analysis type
- When validating security monitoring coverage for related attack techniques

## Prerequisites

- Python 3.9+ with access to Windows Event Log or exported EVTX files
- PowerShell Script Block Logging (Event ID 4104) enabled via Group Policy
- Module Logging (Event ID 4103) enabled for comprehensive coverage

## Key Detection Patterns

1. **Default launcher** — `powershell -noP -sta -w 1 -enc` followed by Base64 blob
2. **Stager indicators** — `System.Net.WebClient`, `DownloadData`, `DownloadString`, `FromBase64String`
3. **Module signatures** — Invoke-Mimikatz, Invoke-Kerberoast, Invoke-TokenManipulation, Invoke-PSInject, Invoke-DCOM
4. **User agent strings** — default Empire user agents in HTTP listener configuration
5. **Staging URLs** — `/login/process.php`, `/admin/get.php` and similar default URI patterns

## Output

JSON report with matched IOCs, decoded Base64 payloads, timeline of suspicious events, MITRE ATT&CK technique mappings, and severity scores.

REQUIRED CONTEXT

Windows event logs or exported EVTX files
PowerShell Script Block Logging (Event ID 4104)
Module Logging (Event ID 4103)

TOOLS REQUIRED

python

EXPECTED OUTPUT

Format

json

Schema

json · matched IOCs, decoded Base64 payloads, timeline of suspicious events, MITRE ATT&CK technique mappings, severity scores

Constraints

include matched IOCs
include decoded Base64 payloads
include timeline of suspicious events
include MITRE ATT&CK technique mappings
include severity scores

CAVEATS

Dependencies

Python 3.9+ with access to Windows Event Log or exported EVTX files
PowerShell Script Block Logging (Event ID 4104) enabled via Group Policy
Module Logging (Event ID 4103) enabled for comprehensive coverage

Missing context

Exact input format for event logs or EVTX data
Step-by-step analysis procedure or code expectations

Ambiguities

The initial description is truncated: 'by identifying Base64 encoded launcher patterns,'

QUALITY

OVERALL: 0.70
CLARITY: 0.80
SPECIFICITY: 0.75
REUSABILITY: 0.60
COMPLETENESS: 0.70

IMPROVEMENT SUGGESTIONS

Add explicit input format specification (e.g., 'Accepts EVTX file path or JSON log array').
Provide a minimal example JSON output structure to clarify the 'Output' section.

USAGE

Copy the prompt above and paste it into your AI of choice — Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, or anywhere else you're working. Replace any placeholder sections with your own context, then ask for the output.