PUA - Potential PE Metadata Tamper Using Rcedit (via process_creation)

title: PUA - Potential PE Metadata Tamper Using Rcedit (via process_creation)
id: f73f2e08-8593-5341-a09e-249bc533bf94
status: stable
description: This rule detects the use of rcedit to potentially alter executable PE metadata properties, which could conceal efforts to rename system utilities for defense evasion.
references:
    - https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1027/
    - https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1027/005/
    - https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1036/
    - https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1036/003/
    - https://security.stackexchange.com/questions/210843/is-it-possible-to-change-original-filename-of-an-exe
    - https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/02e8e8c5d430d8b768980f517b62d7792d690982b9ba0f7e04163cbc1a6e7915
    - https://github.com/electron/rcedit
author: Huntrule Team
date: 2026-03-18
tags:
    - attack.stealth
    - attack.t1036.003
    - attack.t1036
    - attack.t1027.005
    - attack.t1027
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection_img:
        - Image|endswith:
              - '\rcedit-x64.exe'
              - '\rcedit-x86.exe'
        - Description: 'Edit resources of exe'
        - Product: 'rcedit'
    selection_flags:
        CommandLine|contains: '--set-'
    selection_attributes:
        CommandLine|contains:
            - 'OriginalFileName'
            - 'CompanyName'
            - 'FileDescription'
            - 'ProductName'
            - 'ProductVersion'
            - 'LegalCopyright'
    condition: all of selection_*
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: medium