Event ID: 4799

Event ID 4799 is a significant security event in Windows environments, signaling "A security-enabled local group membership was enumerated." This event is part of Windows' advanced security auditing capabilities, designed to track and log instances where the membership of sensitive, security-enabled local groups is queried or listed. Monitoring Event ID 4799 is crucial for identifying unauthorized reconnaissance activities that may precede attacks aimed at privilege escalation or lateral movement within a network.

Key Details of Event ID 4799

• Log Location: Security log.

  • %SYSTEM ROOT%\System32\winevt\logs\Security.evtx

• Category: Account Logon.

• Level: Information.

When Event ID 4799 Is Logged

Event ID 4799 is generated when a process or user queries the membership of a security-enabled local group. This can occur under various circumstances, including but not limited to:

• Administrative activities involving group management.

• Scripts or applications designed to audit or report on group memberships.

• Potentially malicious activities where an attacker enumerates group memberships to identify targets for privilege escalation.

Information Contained in the Event

An Event ID 4799 log includes detailed information that aids in understanding the context and potential implications of the enumerated group membership:

• Subject: The account that requested the enumeration. Includes the Security ID (SID), account name, and domain of the user who performed the enumeration.

• Security Group Information: Details about the local group that was enumerated, including its name and SID.

• Caller Process Information: Identifies the process that initiated the enumeration, including the process ID and name. This is critical for distinguishing between legitimate administrative actions and potentially malicious activities.

Security Implications

The logging of Event ID 4799 serves several important purposes in the context of security monitoring and incident response:

• Reconnaissance Detection: Frequent or unusual enumeration of group memberships may indicate reconnaissance by attackers seeking to understand the network's security posture.

• Policy and Compliance: For organizations subject to regulatory requirements, auditing access to and enumeration of security-sensitive group memberships can be a compliance necessity.

• Forensic Analysis: In the aftermath of a security incident, logs of group membership enumeration can provide valuable forensic evidence, helping to reconstruct the sequence of events leading up to a breach.

Analysis and Response Strategies

To effectively leverage Event ID 4799 for security purposes, organizations should adopt the following strategies:

• Baseline Establishment: Understand normal patterns of group membership enumeration within the environment to identify deviations that could signify malicious activities.

• Alert Configuration: Set up alerts for anomalous enumeration activities, especially those involving sensitive groups or performed by unusual or unauthorized processes.

• Investigation and Remediation: Follow up on alerts with thorough investigations to determine the nature and intent of the enumeration, applying remediation actions as necessary to address any identified security threats.