Windows HackTool Certify Execution via Certify.exe and common AD abuse arguments
Identifies Windows processes running Certify.exe with AD certificate abuse-oriented command line arguments.
- Product
- windows
- Category
- process_creation
- Author
- pH-T (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
- Published
- 2023-04-17
- Updated
- 2026-07-31
ATT&CK techniques
Cred AccessRecon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact
What it detects
This rule identifies executions of Certify.exe by matching PE metadata indicators and command-line substrings associated with common Active Directory certificate abuse workflows. Attackers can leverage Certify to enumerate certificate services, identify vulnerable configurations, and request or download certificates using specific parameters. The detection relies on Windows process creation telemetry, including Image/OriginalFileName metadata and CommandLine content.
Reporting behind it
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 HackTool Certify Execution via Certify.exe and common AD abuse arguments
id: 7a7a6284-027b-444c-aa56-b06972ce482c
status: test
description: This rule identifies executions of Certify.exe by matching PE metadata indicators and command-line substrings associated with common Active Directory certificate abuse workflows. Attackers can leverage Certify to enumerate certificate services, identify vulnerable configurations, and request or download certificates using specific parameters. The detection relies on Windows process creation telemetry, including Image/OriginalFileName metadata and CommandLine content.
references:
- https://github.com/GhostPack/Certify
- https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_hktl_certify.yml
author: pH-T (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2023-04-17
modified: 2023-04-25
tags:
- attack.discovery
- attack.credential-access
- attack.t1649
logsource:
category: process_creation
product: windows
detection:
selection_img:
- Image|endswith: \Certify.exe
- OriginalFileName: Certify.exe
- Description|contains: Certify
selection_cli_commands:
CommandLine|contains:
- ".exe cas "
- ".exe find "
- ".exe pkiobjects "
- ".exe request "
- ".exe download "
selection_cli_options:
CommandLine|contains:
- " /vulnerable"
- " /template:"
- " /altname:"
- " /domain:"
- " /path:"
- " /ca:"
condition: selection_img or all of selection_cli_*
falsepositives:
- Unknown
level: high
license: DRL-1.1
related:
- id: 762f2482-ff21-4970-8939-0aa317a886bb
type: derived