Windows: certutil.exe ExportPFX certificate export via -exportPFX flag

ATT&CK techniques

Defense Evasion

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
- T1027Obfuscated Files or Information
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule identifies execution of certutil.exe on Windows where the command line includes the -exportPFX flag used to export certificates to a PFX file. Attackers may use this capability to obtain or move certificate material for later use. Detection relies on Windows process creation telemetry including the executable image name and the full command line.

Reporting behind it

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Windows: certutil.exe ExportPFX certificate export via -exportPFX flag

Pivot detection · T1027 · 9 related

Changelog

v2

v2
Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
v1
No changelog recorded for this version.2026-07-30

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

windows-certutil-exe-certificate-export-using-exportpfx-3ffd6f51

title: "Windows: certutil.exe ExportPFX certificate export via -exportPFX flag"
id: 4fb2a146-0b8f-4ec5-ab43-8e99ef085231
status: test
description: This rule identifies execution of certutil.exe on Windows where the command line includes the -exportPFX flag used to export certificates to a PFX file. Attackers may use this capability to obtain or move certificate material for later use. Detection relies on Windows process creation telemetry including the executable image name and the full command line.
references:
  - https://www.splunk.com/en_us/blog/security/a-golden-saml-journey-solarwinds-continued.html
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_certutil_export_pfx.yml
author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), Jonhnathan Ribeiro, oscd.community, Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2023-02-15
modified: 2024-03-05
tags:
  - attack.stealth
  - attack.t1027
logsource:
  category: process_creation
  product: windows
detection:
  selection_img:
    - Image|endswith: \certutil.exe
    - OriginalFileName: CertUtil.exe
  selection_cli:
    CommandLine|contains|windash: "-exportPFX "
  condition: all of selection_*
falsepositives:
  - There legitimate reasons to export certificates. Investigate the activity to determine if it's benign
level: medium
regression_tests_path: regression_data/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_certutil_export_pfx/info.yml
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: 3ffd6f51-e6c1-47b7-94b4-c1e61d4117c5
    type: derived

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