Windows Process Creation: Rubeus HackTool Execution Indicators
Flags Windows process executions of Rubeus.exe when command lines include Kerberos attack-related actions.
- Product
- windows
- Category
- process_creation
- Author
- Florian Roth (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
- Published
- 2018-12-19
- Updated
- 2026-07-31
ATT&CK techniques
Defense Evasion → Lateral MovementRecon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact
What it detects
This rule identifies execution of the Rubeus executable by matching process creation telemetry to Rubeus binary characteristics and specific Kerberos-related command-line parameters. Attackers commonly use Rubeus for credential access and ticket manipulation, so spotting these argument patterns helps detect abuse even when the executable name varies. The detection relies on Windows process creation fields such as Image, OriginalFileName, Description, and CommandLine substring matches.
Reporting behind it
- blog.harmj0y.nethttps://blog.harmj0y.net/redteaming/from-kekeo-to-rubeus
- m0chan.github.iohttps://m0chan.github.io/2019/07/31/How-To-Attack-Kerberos-101.html
- github.comhttps://github.com/GhostPack/Rubeus
- github.comhttps://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_hktl_rubeus.yml
Changelog
v2- v2Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
- v1No 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.
title: "Windows Process Creation: Rubeus HackTool Execution Indicators"
id: 3321f85b-bb1b-41ee-ad5c-33d3acc2cf0f
related:
- id: 7ec2c172-dceb-4c10-92c9-87c1881b7e18
type: similar
- id: 7ec2c172-dceb-4c10-92c9-87c1881b7e18
type: derived
status: stable
description: This rule identifies execution of the Rubeus executable by matching process creation telemetry to Rubeus binary characteristics and specific Kerberos-related command-line parameters. Attackers commonly use Rubeus for credential access and ticket manipulation, so spotting these argument patterns helps detect abuse even when the executable name varies. The detection relies on Windows process creation fields such as Image, OriginalFileName, Description, and CommandLine substring matches.
references:
- https://blog.harmj0y.net/redteaming/from-kekeo-to-rubeus
- https://m0chan.github.io/2019/07/31/How-To-Attack-Kerberos-101.html
- https://github.com/GhostPack/Rubeus
- https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_hktl_rubeus.yml
author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2018-12-19
modified: 2023-04-20
tags:
- attack.credential-access
- attack.t1003
- attack.t1558.003
- attack.lateral-movement
- attack.t1550.003
logsource:
category: process_creation
product: windows
detection:
selection:
- Image|endswith: \Rubeus.exe
- OriginalFileName: Rubeus.exe
- Description: Rubeus
- CommandLine|contains:
- "asreproast "
- "dump /service:krbtgt "
- dump /luid:0x
- "kerberoast "
- "createnetonly /program:"
- "ptt /ticket:"
- "/impersonateuser:"
- "renew /ticket:"
- "asktgt /user:"
- "harvest /interval:"
- "s4u /user:"
- "s4u /ticket:"
- "hash /password:"
- "golden /aes256:"
- "silver /user:"
condition: selection
falsepositives:
- Unlikely
level: critical
license: DRL-1.1