Windows Hacktool Execution Flagged by Imphash in Process Creation

ATT&CK techniques

Resource Dev → Cred Access

Recon
Resource Dev
- T1588.002Tool
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 execution of multiple Windows-based hacktools by matching their specific import hashes (imphash) in process creation telemetry, even when the executable names have changed. Attackers rely on consistent binary structure to reuse compiled tools, making imphash a useful way to connect renamed files to known tool families. The detection depends on process creation logs that include the imphash value.

Reporting behind it

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Windows Hacktool Execution Flagged by Imphash in Process Creation

Pivot detection · T1003 · 9 related

Changelog

v2

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-hacktool-execution-via-imphash-matches-renamed-files-24e3e58a

title: Windows Hacktool Execution Flagged by Imphash in Process Creation
id: 365293c7-f8cb-458f-b64c-4c2fd37a0949
status: test
description: This rule identifies execution of multiple Windows-based hacktools by matching their specific import hashes (imphash) in process creation telemetry, even when the executable names have changed. Attackers rely on consistent binary structure to reuse compiled tools, making imphash a useful way to connect renamed files to known tool families. The detection depends on process creation logs that include the imphash value.
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

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