Detection rules › Sigma
Always Install Elevated Windows Installer
Detects Windows Installer service (msiexec.exe) trying to install MSI packages with SYSTEM privilege
Known false positives
- System administrator usage
- Anti virus products
- WindowsApps located in "C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\"
MITRE ATT&CK coverage
| Tactic | Techniques |
|---|---|
| Privilege Escalation |
Telemetry coverage
| Provider | Record / event type |
|---|---|
| Sysmon | Event ID 1: Process creation |
Rule body
title: Always Install Elevated Windows Installer
id: cd951fdc-4b2f-47f5-ba99-a33bf61e3770
status: test
description: Detects Windows Installer service (msiexec.exe) trying to install MSI packages with SYSTEM privilege
references:
- https://image.slidesharecdn.com/kheirkhabarovoffzonefinal-181117201458/95/hunting-for-privilege-escalation-in-windows-environment-48-638.jpg
author: Teymur Kheirkhabarov (idea), Mangatas Tondang (rule), oscd.community
date: 2020-10-13
modified: 2024-12-01
tags:
- attack.privilege-escalation
- attack.t1548.002
logsource:
product: windows
category: process_creation
detection:
selection_user:
User|contains: # covers many language settings
- 'AUTHORI'
- 'AUTORI'
selection_image_1:
Image|contains|all:
- '\Windows\Installer\'
- 'msi'
Image|endswith: 'tmp'
selection_image_2:
Image|endswith: '\msiexec.exe'
IntegrityLevel:
- 'System'
- 'S-1-16-16384'
filter_installer:
ParentImage: 'C:\Windows\System32\services.exe'
filter_repair:
- CommandLine|endswith: '\system32\msiexec.exe /V' # ignore "repair option"
- ParentCommandLine|endswith: '\system32\msiexec.exe /V' # ignore "repair option"
filter_sophos:
ParentImage|startswith: 'C:\ProgramData\Sophos\'
filter_avira:
ParentImage|startswith: 'C:\ProgramData\Avira\'
filter_avast:
ParentImage|startswith:
- 'C:\Program Files\Avast Software\'
- 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Avast Software\'
filter_google_update:
ParentImage|startswith:
- 'C:\Program Files\Google\Update\'
- 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Update\'
condition: 1 of selection_image_* and selection_user and not 1 of filter_*
falsepositives:
- System administrator usage
- Anti virus products
- WindowsApps located in "C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\"
level: medium
Stages and Predicates
Stage 0: condition
1 of selection_image_* and selection_user and not 1 of filter_*Stage 1: selection_image_1
selection_image_1:
Image|contains|all:
- '\Windows\Installer\'
- 'msi'
Image|endswith: 'tmp'
Stage 2: selection_image_2
selection_image_2:
Image|endswith: '\msiexec.exe'
IntegrityLevel:
- 'System'
- 'S-1-16-16384'
Stage 3: selection_user
selection_user:
User|contains:
- 'AUTHORI'
- 'AUTORI'
Stage 4: not filter_*
filter_installer:
ParentImage: 'C:\Windows\System32\services.exe'
filter_repair:
- CommandLine|endswith: '\system32\msiexec.exe /V'
- ParentCommandLine|endswith: '\system32\msiexec.exe /V'
filter_sophos:
ParentImage|startswith: 'C:\ProgramData\Sophos\'
filter_avira:
ParentImage|startswith: 'C:\ProgramData\Avira\'
filter_avast:
ParentImage|startswith:
- 'C:\Program Files\Avast Software\'
- 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Avast Software\'
filter_google_update:
ParentImage|startswith:
- 'C:\Program Files\Google\Update\'
- 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Update\'
Exclusions
The rule actively suppresses these predicates.
Indicators
These rows show field, operator, and value matches.
| Field | Kind | Values | Search |
|---|---|---|---|
Image | ends_with |
| field:"Image" kind:ends_with |
Image | match |
| field:"Image" kind:match |
IntegrityLevel | eq |
| field:"IntegrityLevel" kind:eq |
User | match |
| field:"user" kind:match |