Suspicious Kernel Service Creation for BYOVD Driver Loading (Qilin)

PremiumReviewedSigma · High · v1
Product
windows
Category
process_creation
Author
HuntRule
Published
2026-08-13
Updated
2026-08-28

ATT&CK techniques

  1. Recon

  2. Resource Dev

  3. Initial Access

  4. Execution

  5. Persistence

  6. Priv Esc

  7. Defense Evasion

  8. Cred Access

  9. Discovery

  10. Lateral Movement

  11. Collection

  12. C2

  13. Exfiltration

  14. Impact

What it detects

This rule detects creation of a kernel-type Windows service via sc create with a kernel service type, used by the Qilin group to load a vulnerable driver for bring-your-own-vulnerable-driver attacks. Loading a kernel driver through a newly created service enables disabling security products from kernel space. Unexpected kernel service creation is a strong defense-evasion signal.

Related detections9 linkedT1685 — drag to rearrange
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Malicious ESXi Firewall Disable via esxcli (via process_creation)
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Suspicious Windows Defender Exclusion Enumeration via reg query (via process_creation)
Malicious Windows Defender Exclusion Added via PowerShell (via process_creation)
Malicious BYOVD EDR Kill via Renamed GMER Driver by Agonizing Serpens
Suspicious Kernel Service Creation for BYOVD Driver Loading (Qilin)
Pivot detection · T1685 · 9 related

Detection content is published as a reviewed draft. Tune thresholds and exclusions against your own telemetry before enabling this rule for alerting.