Sigma rule: New RDP Connection Initiated From Domain Controller

A detection rule from the SigmaHQ repository, shown as its author published it. Dataset version ref-79f4b99ac201, updated 2024-05-10T00:00:00.000Z.

Rule

Title
New RDP Connection Initiated From Domain Controller
Status
test
Level
high
Author
Josh Nickels
Date
2024-05-10
File
rules-placeholder/windows/network_connection/net_connection_win_susp_rdp_from_domain_controller.yml
Commit
ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects an RDP connection originating from a domain controller.

Log source

product
windows
category
network_connection

Detection

selection_connection:
    Initiated: 'True'
    DestinationPort: 3389
selection_hosts:
    Computer|expand: '%domain_controller_hostnames%'
filter_optional_defender_identity:
    Image|endswith: '\Microsoft.Tri.Sensor.exe' # Microsoft Defender for Identity service makes port 3389 connections to hosts
condition: all of selection_* and not 1 of filter_*

False positives (as the rule lists them)

  • Legitimate administration activity

Tags

  • attack.lateral-movement
  • attack.t1021

MITRE ATT&CK ids this rule names

References

  • Internal Research

Read on 2026-11-03T00:58:21.399Z under licence sigma-drl-1.1@d5f4c36a from https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules-placeholder/windows/network_connection/net_connection_win_susp_rdp_from_domain_controller.yml

Sources and licences

  • SigmaHQ

    "New RDP Connection Initiated From Domain Controller" by Josh Nickels (SigmaHQ). Rule: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules-placeholder/windows/network_connection/net_connection_win_susp_rdp_from_domain_controller.yml.
    Licensed under the Detection Rule License (DRL) 1.1: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/Detection-Rule-License

    Detection Rule License (DRL) 1.1

Cite this page

Dragons Eye Ransomware Tracker, "Sigma rule: New RDP Connection Initiated From Domain Controller",
entity page, dataset version ref-79f4b99ac201, updated 2024-05-10T00:00:00.000Z,
https://ransomware-tracker.com/detections/sigma/fda34293-718e-4b36-b018-38caab0d1209 (accessed 2026-11-03).
Underlying source: SigmaHQ rule fda34293-718e-4b36-b018-38caab0d1209, commit ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84.

Pages change. The dataset version identifies the data, but no archive of old versions is kept, so this citation cannot be replayed later.