Suspicious Service Security Descriptor Manipulation Through Sc.EXE (via process_creation)

title: Suspicious Service Security Descriptor Manipulation Through Sc.EXE (via process_creation)
id: 8f389b80-0058-5682-8f80-64ec459ccf6d
status: stable
description: This rule detects detection of sc.exe utility adding a new service with special permission which hides that service.
references:
    - https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1574/011/
    - https://blog.talosintelligence.com/2021/10/threat-hunting-in-large-datasets-by.html
    - https://www.sans.org/blog/red-team-tactics-hiding-windows-services/
    - https://twitter.com/Alh4zr3d/status/1580925761996828672
    - https://twitter.com/0gtweet/status/1628720819537936386
    - https://itconnect.uw.edu/tools-services-support/it-systems-infrastructure/msinf/other-help/understanding-sddl-syntax/
author: Huntrule Team
date: 2026-04-20
tags:
    - attack.persistence
    - attack.privilege-escalation
    - attack.execution
    - attack.stealth
    - attack.t1574.011
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection_img:
        - Image|endswith: '\sc.exe'
        - OriginalFileName: 'sc.exe'
    selection_cli:
        CommandLine|contains: 'sdset'
    condition: all of selection_*
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: medium