huntrule

Windows: Detect sc.exe Creating Kernel Driver Services

Flags sc.exe service creation where the command-line specifies a kernel driver type and binPath.

FreeReviewedSigma · Medium · v1
Product
windows
Category
process_creation
Author
Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2022-07-14
Updated
2026-07-30
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

Persistence → Priv Esc

  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 identifies process executions of sc.exe that include commands to create a service configured with type set to kernel and a binPath for the driver. Attackers can use this to install malicious kernel-mode drivers for persistence and elevated control. It relies on Windows process creation telemetry capturing the sc.exe image path and the command-line parameters.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1543.003 — drag to rearrange
Malicious Service DLL Hijack for Persistence via Lotus Blossom
Malicious TinyTurla ServiceDll Registration via svchost Group (via registry_set)
Suspicious ToyMaker LAGTOY Service Creation Masquerading as WmiPrvSV via sc.exe
Malicious Service Creation With Autostart binPath via sc.exe (via process_creation)
Malicious svchost Service Creation for TinyTurla Persistence (via process_creation)
Malicious Service Creation Masquerading as nslookup (via process_creation)
Interactive Service Creation Executing cmd via sc.exe
Malicious Known Vulnerable Driver Load for BYOVD Attack
Malicious ValleyRAT KernelQuick Rootkit Service and Shellcode Store Registry Keys
Windows: Detect sc.exe Creating Kernel Driver Services
Pivot detection · T1543.003 · 9 related

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