Detection of Valid Accounts

Technique Detected:  Valid Accounts | T0859

ID: DET0724
Domains: ICS
Analytics: AN1857, AN2122, AN2182, AN2217
Version: 1.0
Created: 21 October 2025
Last Modified: 13 October 2026

Analytics

AN1857

Real-time monitoring identifies an Industrial Control System (ICS)-role account authenticating via interactive or remote logon from a workstation not in the approved host inventory, or outside the account's established usage pattern, immediately followed within a short window by that session connecting to the field device network or ICS application. OT operational-fidelity gate: Alert only when the account/device/session violates the approved identity + source host/jump path/zone policy and is corroborated by access to a protected OT asset, execution, configuration change, or another security-relevant follow-on event. Suppress approved shift activity, vendor support, break-glass use, commissioning, and documented remote-access windows.

Log Sources
Data Component Name Channel
Logon Session Creation (DC0067) WinEventLog:Security Windows Security Event ID 4624/4625: EventCode=4624 for Industrial Control Systems (ICS)-role account from workstation not in approved host list or outside office hours window
Logon Session Metadata (DC0088) WinEventLog:Security Windows Security Event ID 4624/4625: EventCode=4672 for Industrial Control Systems (ICS)-role account from anomalous session
User Account Authentication (DC0002) WinEventLog:Security Windows Security Event ID 4624/4625: EventCode=4648 for Industrial Control Systems (ICS)-role account from process outside approved ICS vendor process list
Network Connection Creation (DC0082) WinEventLog:Sysmon EventCode=3 to device subnet within auth-to-device window of the anomalous logon
Mutable Elements
Field Description
ApprovedAdminCIDR IP ranges from which SSH administrative access to ICS Linux assets is authorized.
ApprovedHostList Inventory of workstations/jump hosts from which ICS-role accounts are authorized to authenticate.
ApprovedNMSCIDR IP ranges from which network device administrative access is authorized.
AuthToDeviceWindow Time window after anomalous logon within which device-subnet connection is considered correlated, typically 5-15 minutes.
ICSRoleAccountPatterns Naming convention or group-membership pattern identifying accounts with engineering, operator, or ICS service roles.
OfficeHoursWindow Defined normal working hours for interactive ICS engineering activity, widened for 24/7 shift-based operations.

AN2122

Real-time monitoring identifies Secure Shell (SSH) or local authentication by an Industrial Control System (ICS) service or operator account from a source Internet Protocol (IP) address outside the approved administrative Classless Inter-Domain Routing (CIDR) subnet, or a sudo/su escalation event by an ICS service account that does not normally require interactive privilege escalation, correlated with subsequent execution of ICS engineering tools. OT operational-fidelity gate: Alert only when the account/device/session violates the approved identity + source host/jump path/zone policy and is corroborated by access to a protected OT asset, execution, configuration change, or another security-relevant follow-on event. Suppress approved shift activity, vendor support, break-glass use, commissioning, and documented remote-access windows.

Log Sources
Data Component Name Channel
Logon Session Creation (DC0067) auditd:SYSCALL Linux Audit SYSCALL/EXECVE/SOCKADDR records (configured audit rule): sudo/su success for Industrial Control Systems (ICS) service account UID without the expected automated invocation pattern
User Account Authentication (DC0002) syslog:auth sshd Accepted publickey/password for Industrial Control Systems (ICS)-role account from source not in approved admin CIDR
Mutable Elements
Field Description
ApprovedAdminCIDR IP ranges from which SSH administrative access to ICS Linux assets is authorized.
ApprovedHostList Inventory of workstations/jump hosts from which ICS-role accounts are authorized to authenticate.
ApprovedNMSCIDR IP ranges from which network device administrative access is authorized.
AuthToDeviceWindow Time window after anomalous logon within which device-subnet connection is considered correlated, typically 5-15 minutes.
ICSRoleAccountPatterns Naming convention or group-membership pattern identifying accounts with engineering, operator, or ICS service roles.
OfficeHoursWindow Defined normal working hours for interactive ICS engineering activity, widened for 24/7 shift-based operations.

AN2182

Real-time monitoring identifies network device management session authentication such as Secure Shell (SSH), Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service (RADIUS), and Terminal Access Controller Access-Control System Plus (TACACS+) using valid Industrial Control System (ICS) network administrator credentials but originating from source IPs outside the approved Network Management System (NMS) Classless Inter-Domain Routing (CIDR) subnet or at times inconsistent with the account's normal usage pattern, where the session performs configuration changes not reflected in any open change-control ticket. OT operational-fidelity gate: Alert only when the account/device/session violates the approved identity + source host/jump path/zone policy and is corroborated by access to a protected OT asset, execution, configuration change, or another security-relevant follow-on event. Suppress approved shift activity, vendor support, break-glass use, commissioning, and documented remote-access windows.

Log Sources
Data Component Name Channel
User Account Authentication (DC0002) networkdevice:aaa TACACS+/RADIUS authentication success for Industrial Control Systems (ICS) network admin account from source not in approved Network Management System (NMS) Classless Inter-Domain Routing (CIDR) subnet
Application Log Content (DC0038) networkdevice:syslog configuration change logged without corresponding change ticket reference following anomalous authentication
Mutable Elements
Field Description
ApprovedAdminCIDR IP ranges from which SSH administrative access to ICS Linux assets is authorized.
ApprovedHostList Inventory of workstations/jump hosts from which ICS-role accounts are authorized to authenticate.
ApprovedNMSCIDR IP ranges from which network device administrative access is authorized.
AuthToDeviceWindow Time window after anomalous logon within which device-subnet connection is considered correlated, typically 5-15 minutes.
ICSRoleAccountPatterns Naming convention or group-membership pattern identifying accounts with engineering, operator, or ICS service roles.
OfficeHoursWindow Defined normal working hours for interactive ICS engineering activity, widened for 24/7 shift-based operations.

AN2217

Real-time monitoring identifies field device access (Industrial Control System (ICS) protocol sessions, management interface authentication) using credentials or authentication tokens associated with a legitimate engineering account, but from a source Internet Protocol (IP) address or Media Access Control (MAC) address not enrolled as an authorized engineering workstation, where the authenticated session subsequently performs write operations the credential owner has not acknowledged via change control. OT operational-fidelity gate: Alert only when the account/device/session violates the approved identity + source host/jump path/zone policy and is corroborated by access to a protected OT asset, execution, configuration change, or another security-relevant follow-on event. Suppress approved shift activity, vendor support, break-glass use, commissioning, and documented remote-access windows.

Log Sources
Data Component Name Channel
Network Traffic Content (DC0085) NSM:Content device authentication session from source Media Access Control (MAC)/Internet Protocol (IP) address not enrolled as authorized engineering workstation, with valid credential
Mutable Elements
Field Description
ApprovedAdminCIDR IP ranges from which SSH administrative access to ICS Linux assets is authorized.
ApprovedHostList Inventory of workstations/jump hosts from which ICS-role accounts are authorized to authenticate.
ApprovedNMSCIDR IP ranges from which network device administrative access is authorized.
AuthToDeviceWindow Time window after anomalous logon within which device-subnet connection is considered correlated, typically 5-15 minutes.
ICSRoleAccountPatterns Naming convention or group-membership pattern identifying accounts with engineering, operator, or ICS service roles.
OfficeHoursWindow Defined normal working hours for interactive ICS engineering activity, widened for 24/7 shift-based operations.