Windows Hacktool Execution via Imphash Matches (Renamed Files)

title: Windows Hacktool Execution via Imphash Matches (Renamed Files)
id: 365293c7-f8cb-458f-b64c-4c2fd37a0949
status: test
description: This rule flags Windows process creation events where the import hash (IMPHASH) matches known values for multiple credential access and defense-evasion oriented tools, regardless of filename changes. Attackers can rename or repackage binaries to evade file-based detections; matching on import hash helps detect the underlying compiled characteristics. It relies on process creation telemetry that includes the IMPHASH value (e.g., Sysmon hashes field).
references:
  - Internal Research
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_hktl_execution_via_imphashes.yml
author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2022-03-04
modified: 2024-11-23
tags:
  - attack.credential-access
  - attack.resource-development
  - attack.t1588.002
  - attack.t1003
logsource:
  category: process_creation
  product: windows
detection:
  selection:
    Hashes|contains:
      - IMPHASH=BCCA3C247B619DCD13C8CDFF5F123932
      - IMPHASH=3A19059BD7688CB88E70005F18EFC439
      - IMPHASH=bf6223a49e45d99094406777eb6004ba
      - IMPHASH=23867A89C2B8FC733BE6CF5EF902F2D1
      - IMPHASH=A37FF327F8D48E8A4D2F757E1B6E70BC
      - IMPHASH=F9A28C458284584A93B14216308D31BD
      - IMPHASH=6118619783FC175BC7EBECFF0769B46E
      - IMPHASH=959A83047E80AB68B368FDB3F4C6E4EA
      - IMPHASH=563233BFA169ACC7892451F71AD5850A
      - IMPHASH=87575CB7A0E0700EB37F2E3668671A08
      - IMPHASH=13F08707F759AF6003837A150A371BA1
      - IMPHASH=1781F06048A7E58B323F0B9259BE798B
      - IMPHASH=233F85F2D4BC9D6521A6CAAE11A1E7F5
      - IMPHASH=24AF2584CBF4D60BBE5C6D1B31B3BE6D
      - IMPHASH=632969DDF6DBF4E0F53424B75E4B91F2
      - IMPHASH=713C29B396B907ED71A72482759ED757
      - IMPHASH=749A7BB1F0B4C4455949C0B2BF7F9E9F
      - IMPHASH=8628B2608957A6B0C6330AC3DE28CE2E
      - IMPHASH=8B114550386E31895DFAB371E741123D
      - IMPHASH=94CB940A1A6B65BED4D5A8F849CE9793
      - IMPHASH=9D68781980370E00E0BD939EE5E6C141
      - IMPHASH=B18A1401FF8F444056D29450FBC0A6CE
      - IMPHASH=CB567F9498452721D77A451374955F5F
      - IMPHASH=730073214094CD328547BF1F72289752
      - IMPHASH=17B461A082950FC6332228572138B80C
      - IMPHASH=DC25EE78E2EF4D36FAA0BADF1E7461C9
      - IMPHASH=819B19D53CA6736448F9325A85736792
      - IMPHASH=829DA329CE140D873B4A8BDE2CBFAA7E
      - IMPHASH=C547F2E66061A8DFFB6F5A3FF63C0A74
      - IMPHASH=0588081AB0E63BA785938467E1B10CCA
      - IMPHASH=0D9EC08BAC6C07D9987DFD0F1506587C
      - IMPHASH=BC129092B71C89B4D4C8CDF8EA590B29
      - IMPHASH=4DA924CF622D039D58BCE71CDF05D242
      - IMPHASH=E7A3A5C377E2D29324093377D7DB1C66
      - IMPHASH=9A9DBEC5C62F0380B4FA5FD31DEFFEDF
      - IMPHASH=AF8A3976AD71E5D5FDFB67DDB8DADFCE
      - IMPHASH=0C477898BBF137BBD6F2A54E3B805FF4
      - IMPHASH=0CA9F02B537BCEA20D4EA5EB1A9FE338
      - IMPHASH=3AB3655E5A14D4EEFC547F4781BF7F9E
      - IMPHASH=E6F9D5152DA699934B30DAAB206471F6
      - IMPHASH=3AD59991CCF1D67339B319B15A41B35D
      - IMPHASH=FFDD59E0318B85A3E480874D9796D872
      - IMPHASH=0CF479628D7CC1EA25EC7998A92F5051
      - IMPHASH=07A2D4DCBD6CB2C6A45E6B101F0B6D51
      - IMPHASH=D6D0F80386E1380D05CB78E871BC72B1
      - IMPHASH=38D9E015591BBFD4929E0D0F47FA0055
      - IMPHASH=0E2216679CA6E1094D63322E3412D650
      - IMPHASH=ADA161BF41B8E5E9132858CB54CAB5FB
      - IMPHASH=2A1BC4913CD5ECB0434DF07CB675B798
      - IMPHASH=11083E75553BAAE21DC89CE8F9A195E4
      - IMPHASH=A23D29C9E566F2FA8FFBB79267F5DF80
      - IMPHASH=4A07F944A83E8A7C2525EFA35DD30E2F
      - IMPHASH=767637C23BB42CD5D7397CF58B0BE688
      - IMPHASH=14C4E4C72BA075E9069EE67F39188AD8
      - IMPHASH=3C782813D4AFCE07BBFC5A9772ACDBDC
      - IMPHASH=7D010C6BB6A3726F327F7E239166D127
      - IMPHASH=89159BA4DD04E4CE5559F132A9964EB3
      - IMPHASH=6F33F4A5FC42B8CEC7314947BD13F30F
      - IMPHASH=5834ED4291BDEB928270428EBBAF7604
      - IMPHASH=5A8A8A43F25485E7EE1B201EDCBC7A38
      - IMPHASH=DC7D30B90B2D8ABF664FBED2B1B59894
      - IMPHASH=41923EA1F824FE63EA5BEB84DB7A3E74
      - IMPHASH=3DE09703C8E79ED2CA3F01074719906B
      - IMPHASH=A53A02B997935FD8EEDCB5F7ABAB9B9F
      - IMPHASH=E96A73C7BF33A464C510EDE582318BF2
      - IMPHASH=32089B8851BBF8BC2D014E9F37288C83
      - IMPHASH=09D278F9DE118EF09163C6140255C690
      - IMPHASH=03866661686829d806989e2fc5a72606
      - IMPHASH=e57401fbdadcd4571ff385ab82bd5d6d
      - IMPHASH=84B763C45C0E4A3E7CA5548C710DB4EE
      - IMPHASH=19584675D94829987952432E018D5056
      - IMPHASH=330768A4F172E10ACB6287B87289D83B
      - IMPHASH=885C99CCFBE77D1CBFCB9C4E7C1A3313
      - IMPHASH=22A22BC9E4E0D2F189F1EA01748816AC
      - IMPHASH=7FA30E6BB7E8E8A69155636E50BF1B28
      - IMPHASH=96DF3A3731912449521F6F8D183279B1
      - IMPHASH=7E6CF3FF4576581271AC8A313B2AAB46
      - IMPHASH=51791678F351C03A0EB4E2A7B05C6E17
      - IMPHASH=25CE42B079282632708FC846129E98A5
      - IMPHASH=021BCCA20BA3381B11BDDE26B4E62F20
      - IMPHASH=59223B5F52D8799D38E0754855CBDF42
      - IMPHASH=81E75D8F1D276C156653D3D8813E4A43
      - IMPHASH=17244E8B6B8227E57FE709CCAD421420
      - IMPHASH=5B76DA3ACDEDC8A5CDF23A798B5936B4
      - IMPHASH=CB2B65BB77D995CC1C0E5DF1C860133C
      - IMPHASH=40445337761D80CF465136FAFB1F63E6
      - IMPHASH=8A790F401B29FA87BC1E56F7272B3AA6
      - IMPHASH=B50199E952C875241B9CE06C971CE3C1
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Legitimate use of one of these tools
level: critical
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: 24e3e58a-646b-4b50-adef-02ef935b9fc8
    type: derived