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Windows UAC Bypass via msconfig Token Modification Dropping pkgmgr.exe from Temp

Alerts on writes to C:\Users\…\AppData\Local\Temp\pkgmgr.exe indicative of msconfig-based UAC bypass staging.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v2
Product
windows
Category
file_event
Author
Christian Burkard (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 file creation events where a target path under a user profile ends with \AppData\Local\Temp\pkgmgr.exe. Attackers may use this behavior to stage components associated with a UAC bypass technique that relies on modifying a msconfig-related token flow. Detection depends on file event telemetry that includes the full target filename/path for process-related file writes.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1548.002 — drag to rearrange
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Suspicious dllhost.exe Spawned with CLSID and Anomalous Parent (via process_creation)
Malicious ms-settings DelegateExecute UAC Bypass Registry Change
Malicious User Account Control Bypass via Auto-Elevating Binary Hijack (via process_creation)
Suspicious Mock Trusted Directory with Trailing Space (via process_creation)
Windows UAC Bypass via msconfig Token Modification Dropping pkgmgr.exe from Temp
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.