Windows PUA System Informer Driver Load via SystemInformer.sys

Alerts on loading SystemInformer.sys as a Windows driver when matched against known System Informer SHA256 hashes.

FreeReviewedSigma · Medium · v2

Product: windows
Category: driver_load
Author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published: 2023-05-08
Updated: 2026-07-31

ATT&CK techniques

Persistence → Priv Esc

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
- T1543Create or Modify System Process
Priv Esc
- T1543Create or Modify System Process
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule flags Windows kernel driver loads where the loaded image ends with \SystemInformer.sys and the event includes one of the specified SHA256 hashes. Loading a signed or legitimate-looking driver can be abused for persistence or privilege escalation by gaining kernel-level execution. It relies on driver load telemetry that provides the loaded image path and the file hash values.

Reporting behind it

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Windows PUA System Informer Driver Load via SystemInformer.sys

Pivot detection · T1543 · 9 related

Changelog

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-driver-load-for-system-informer-systeminformer-sys-with-known-hashes-10cb6535

title: Windows PUA System Informer Driver Load via SystemInformer.sys
id: 1bb138ec-3eb8-442b-9a68-9e02d6441e94
related:
  - id: 67add051-9ee7-4ad3-93ba-42935615ae8d
    type: similar
  - id: 10cb6535-b31d-4512-9962-513dcbc42cc1
    type: derived
status: test
description: This rule flags Windows kernel driver loads where the loaded image ends with \SystemInformer.sys and the event includes one of the specified SHA256 hashes. Loading a signed or legitimate-looking driver can be abused for persistence or privilege escalation by gaining kernel-level execution. It relies on driver load telemetry that provides the loaded image path and the file hash values.
references:
  - https://systeminformer.sourceforge.io/
  - https://github.com/winsiderss/systeminformer
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/driver_load/driver_load_win_pua_system_informer.yml
author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2023-05-08
modified: 2024-11-23
tags:
  - attack.persistence
  - attack.privilege-escalation
  - attack.t1543
logsource:
  category: driver_load
  product: windows
detection:
  selection:
    - ImageLoaded|endswith: \SystemInformer.sys
    - Hashes|contains:
        - SHA256=8B9AD98944AC9886EA4CB07700E71B78BE4A2740934BB7E46CA3B56A7C59AD24
        - SHA256=A41348BEC147CA4D9EA2869817527EB5CEA2E20202AF599D2B30625433BCF454
        - SHA256=38EE0A88AF8535A11EFE8D8DA9C6812AA07067B75A64D99705A742589BDD846D
        - SHA256=A773891ACF203A7EB0C0D30942FB1347648F1CD918AE2BFD9A4857B4DCF5081B
        - SHA256=4C3B81AC88A987BBDF7D41FA0AECC2CEDF5B9BD2F45E7A21F376D05345FC211D
        - SHA256=3241BC14BEC51CE6A691B9A3562E5C1D52E9D057D27A3D67FD0B245C350B6D34
        - SHA256=047C42E9BBA28366868847C7DAFC1E043FB038C796422D37220493517D68EE89
        - SHA256=18931DC81E95D0020466FA091E16869DBE824E543A4C2C8FE644FA71A0F44FEB
        - SHA256=B4C2EF76C204273132FDE38F0DED641C2C5EE767652E64E4C4071A4A973B6C1B
        - SHA256=640954AFC268565F7DAA6E6F81A8EE05311E33E34332B501A3C3FE5B22ADEA97
        - SHA256=251BE949F662C838718F8AA0A5F8211FB90346D02BD63FF91E6B224E0E01B656
        - SHA256=E2606F272F7BA054DF16BE464FDA57211EF0D14A0D959F9C8DCB0575DF1186E4
        - SHA256=3A9E1D17BEEB514F1B9B3BACAEE7420285DE5CBDCE89C5319A992C6CBD1DE138
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - System Informer is regularly used legitimately by system administrators or developers. Apply additional filters accordingly
level: medium
license: DRL-1.1

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