Windows Doppelganger (Doppelanger.exe) LSASS Dump Tool Execution
Alerts on Windows execution of Doppelganger.exe with matching IMPHASH values associated with LSASS dumping.
- Product
- windows
- Category
- process_creation
- Author
- Swachchhanda Shrawan Poudel (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
- Published
- 2025-07-01
- Updated
- 2026-07-31
ATT&CK techniques
Cred AccessRecon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact
What it detects
This rule flags execution of the Doppelganger/Doppelanger executable associated with LSASS memory dumping. Attackers may use this tool to obtain credential material, and its process-cloning approach is intended to evade common defensive detections. The detection relies on Windows process creation telemetry, matching the executable name ending in '\Doppelganger.exe' and specific file hash imphashes found in the event.
Reporting behind it
- labs.yarix.comhttps://labs.yarix.com/2025/06/doppelganger-an-advanced-lsass-dumper-with-process-cloning/
- github.comhttps://github.com/vari-sh/RedTeamGrimoire/tree/668e0357072546065729ad623f8c02f7be21bb08/Doppelganger
- github.comhttps://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_hktl_doppelganger.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 Doppelganger (Doppelanger.exe) LSASS Dump Tool Execution
id: 0eab50e9-522c-44d4-a887-ab801313b4d6
status: experimental
description: This rule flags execution of the Doppelganger/Doppelanger executable associated with LSASS memory dumping. Attackers may use this tool to obtain credential material, and its process-cloning approach is intended to evade common defensive detections. The detection relies on Windows process creation telemetry, matching the executable name ending in '\Doppelganger.exe' and specific file hash imphashes found in the event.
references:
- https://labs.yarix.com/2025/06/doppelganger-an-advanced-lsass-dumper-with-process-cloning/
- https://github.com/vari-sh/RedTeamGrimoire/tree/668e0357072546065729ad623f8c02f7be21bb08/Doppelganger
- https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_hktl_doppelganger.yml
author: Swachchhanda Shrawan Poudel (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2025-07-01
tags:
- attack.credential-access
- attack.t1003.001
logsource:
category: process_creation
product: windows
detection:
selection:
- Image|endswith: \Doppelganger.exe
- Hashes|contains:
- IMPHASH=AB94D5217896ADCD765A06B2D52F0AEB
- IMPHASH=65F0EA61156EE0C2A35421926F0C7F78
condition: selection
falsepositives:
- Unknown
level: high
license: DRL-1.1
related:
- id: d474c8fe-bb69-4ea0-b7d9-f682b56d52d3
type: derived