Windows file activity matching CrackMapExec/Impacket-secretsdump credential dumping temp output patterns

Alerts on Windows temp file creations consistent with CrackMapExec or Impacket-secretsdump credential dumping activity.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v2

Product: windows
Category: file_event
Author: SecurityAura (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published: 2022-11-16
Updated: 2026-07-31

ATT&CK techniques

Cred Access

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
- T1003OS Credential Dumping
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule identifies Windows file creation activity consistent with remote credential dumping tools by matching specific temporary filename patterns written by svchost.exe. Attackers commonly use tools like CrackMapExec or Impacket-secretsdump to extract credentials over the network, and these operations may leave recognizable artifacts on disk. Detection relies on file event telemetry that includes the creating process image path and the target filename matching the defined pattern.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1003 — drag to rearrange

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Windows file activity matching CrackMapExec/Impacket-secretsdump credential dumping temp output patterns

Pivot detection · T1003 · 9 related

Changelog

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-file-events-crackmapexec-or-impacket-secretsdump-credential-dumping-temp-6e2a900a

title: Windows file activity matching CrackMapExec/Impacket-secretsdump credential dumping temp output patterns
id: 61d855f3-a59a-426e-941e-682b1a0409e4
status: test
description: This rule identifies Windows file creation activity consistent with remote credential dumping tools by matching specific temporary filename patterns written by svchost.exe. Attackers commonly use tools like CrackMapExec or Impacket-secretsdump to extract credentials over the network, and these operations may leave recognizable artifacts on disk. Detection relies on file event telemetry that includes the creating process image path and the target filename matching the defined pattern.
references:
  - https://github.com/Porchetta-Industries/CrackMapExec
  - https://github.com/fortra/impacket/blob/ff8c200fd040b04d3b5ff05449646737f836235d/examples/secretsdump.py
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/file/file_event/file_event_win_hktl_remote_cred_dump.yml
author: SecurityAura, Huntrule Team
date: 2022-11-16
modified: 2024-06-27
tags:
  - attack.credential-access
  - attack.t1003
logsource:
  product: windows
  category: file_event
detection:
  selection:
    Image|endswith: \svchost.exe
    TargetFilename|re: \\Windows\\System32\\[a-zA-Z0-9]{8}\.tmp$
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Unknown
level: high
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: 6e2a900a-ced9-4e4a-a9c2-13e706f9518a
    type: derived

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