A security-enabled universal group was created
A new AD Universal Security Group was created across the forest.
Event ID 4754 records the creation of a security-enabled universal group (`Universal Scope`). Because universal groups can contain members from any domain in the forest and grant access across any domain, unauthorized creation of universal groups is a primary vector for inter-domain cross-forest persistence.
Failure Reason / Root Cause:
Creation of universal security group (`TargetUserName`) by `SubjectUserName`.
Raw Event XML snippet
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
<Provider Name="Microsoft-Windows-Security-Auditing" Guid="{54849625-5478-4994-A5BA-3E3B0328C30D}" />
<EventID>4754</EventID>
<Version>0</Version>
<Level>0</Level>
<Task>12544</Task>
<Opcode>0</Opcode>
<Keywords>0x8020000000000000</Keywords>
<TimeCreated SystemTime="2026-07-17T09:54:44.902Z" />
<EventRecordID>1048576</EventRecordID>
<Correlation />
<Execution ProcessID="612" ThreadID="1024" />
<Channel>Security</Channel>
<Computer>DC01.enterprise.internal</Computer>
<Security />
</System>
<EventData>
<Data Name="SubjectUserSid">S-1-5-18</Data>
<Data Name="SubjectUserName">SYSTEM</Data>
<Data Name="SubjectDomainName">NT AUTHORITY</Data>
<Data Name="SubjectLogonId">0x3e7</Data>
<!-- Event telemetry fields specific to A security-enabled universal group was created -->
</EventData>
</Event>MITRE ATT&CK mapping
| ID | Technique | Tactic |
|---|---|---|
T1098 | Account Manipulation: Domain Groups | Persistence |
Recommended actions
- Review the necessity and creator of any new universal security groups across the forest.