Windows Driver Load: Process Hacker (processhacker.sys) Presence

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

Identifies attempts to load the Process Hacker kernel driver by matching the loaded driver path ending in processhacker.sys and specific imphash values. Loading third-party drivers can enable persistence and privilege escalation by operating at the kernel level. Telemetry required includes driver load events with the ImageLoaded field and associated driver Hashes/imphash values.

Reporting behind it

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Windows Driver Load: Process Hacker (processhacker.sys) Presence

Pivot detection · T1543 · 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-driver-load-process-hacker-kernel-driver-processhacker-sys-67add051

title: "Windows Driver Load: Process Hacker (processhacker.sys) Presence"
id: 9ccc7984-49fb-4a66-9e23-8fb19e7f027a
related:
  - id: 10cb6535-b31d-4512-9962-513dcbc42cc1
    type: similar
  - id: 67add051-9ee7-4ad3-93ba-42935615ae8d
    type: derived
status: test
description: Identifies attempts to load the Process Hacker kernel driver by matching the loaded driver path ending in processhacker.sys and specific imphash values. Loading third-party drivers can enable persistence and privilege escalation by operating at the kernel level. Telemetry required includes driver load events with the ImageLoaded field and associated driver Hashes/imphash values.
references:
  - https://processhacker.sourceforge.io/
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/driver_load/driver_load_win_pua_process_hacker.yml
author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2022-11-16
modified: 2024-11-23
tags:
  - attack.persistence
  - attack.privilege-escalation
  - cve.2021-21551
  - attack.t1543
logsource:
  category: driver_load
  product: windows
detection:
  selection:
    - ImageLoaded|endswith: \kprocesshacker.sys
    - Hashes|contains:
        - IMPHASH=821D74031D3F625BCBD0DF08B70F1E77
        - IMPHASH=F86759BB4DE4320918615DC06E998A39
        - IMPHASH=0A64EEB85419257D0CE32BD5D55C3A18
        - IMPHASH=6E7B34DFC017700B1517B230DF6FF0D0
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Legitimate use of process hacker or system informer by developers or system administrators
level: high
license: DRL-1.1

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