Windows UEFI Persistence Indicator: Creation of C:\Windows\System32\wpbbin.exe
Flags creation of C:\Windows\System32\wpbbin.exe, a potential UEFI persistence artifact.
- Product
- windows
- Category
- file_event
- Author
- Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
- Published
- 2022-07-18
- Updated
- 2026-07-31
ATT&CK techniques
Persistence → Defense EvasionRecon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact
What it detects
This rule identifies creation of the file C:\Windows\System32\wpbbin.exe, a behavior that may indicate an attempt to establish UEFI-based persistence. Attackers may choose this location and filename to place an executable associated with low-level firmware persistence mechanisms. The detection relies on Windows file-creation telemetry that records the target filename and path.
Reporting behind it
- grzegorztworek.medium.comhttps://grzegorztworek.medium.com/using-uefi-to-inject-executable-files-into-bitlocker-protected-drives-8ff4ca59c94c
- persistence-info.github.iohttps://persistence-info.github.io/Data/wpbbin.html
- github.comhttps://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/file/file_event/file_event_win_wpbbin_persistence.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 UEFI Persistence Indicator: Creation of C:\\Windows\\System32\\wpbbin.exe"
id: 628ecead-027d-418a-b5cf-1f4e70843922
status: test
description: This rule identifies creation of the file C:\Windows\System32\wpbbin.exe, a behavior that may indicate an attempt to establish UEFI-based persistence. Attackers may choose this location and filename to place an executable associated with low-level firmware persistence mechanisms. The detection relies on Windows file-creation telemetry that records the target filename and path.
references:
- https://grzegorztworek.medium.com/using-uefi-to-inject-executable-files-into-bitlocker-protected-drives-8ff4ca59c94c
- https://persistence-info.github.io/Data/wpbbin.html
- https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/file/file_event/file_event_win_wpbbin_persistence.yml
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2022-07-18
tags:
- attack.persistence
- attack.stealth
- attack.t1542.001
logsource:
product: windows
category: file_event
detection:
selection:
TargetFilename: C:\Windows\System32\wpbbin.exe
condition: selection
falsepositives:
- Legitimate usage of the file by hardware manufacturer such as lenovo (Thanks @0gtweet for the tip)
level: high
license: DRL-1.1
related:
- id: e94b9ddc-eec5-4bb8-8a58-b9dc5f4e185f
type: derived