huntrule

Windows: Detect UACMe (Akagi.exe) execution via PE metadata and image name

Flags Windows processes likely running UACMe (Akagi.exe/Akagi64.exe) using PE metadata and known IMPHASH indicators.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v2
Product
windows
Category
process_creation
Author
Christian Burkard (Nextron Systems), Florian Roth (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2021-08-30
Updated
2026-07-31
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

Priv Esc → Defense Evasion

  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 execution of the UACMe tool by matching PE metadata values and original file names associated with Akagi.exe/Akagi64.exe, as well as image filename endings and known imphash substrings. Attackers may use UAC bypass tooling to escalate privileges on Windows systems. The detection relies on process creation telemetry including PE product/company/description/original filename fields, the executed image path or name, and Sysmon file hash information containing imphash values.

Reporting behind it

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Windows: Detect UACMe (Akagi.exe) execution via PE metadata and image name
Pivot detection · T1548.002 · 9 related

Changelog

v2
  1. v2
    Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
  2. 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.