Windows: Identify RpcPing.exe -s RPC test that requests NTLM authentication

title: "Windows: Identify RpcPing.exe -s RPC test that requests NTLM authentication"
id: 37340dbb-f419-4ae3-97ad-2ca927718469
status: test
description: This rule flags execution of RpcPing.exe with the -s option and additional parameters indicating NTLM authentication was involved. Attackers can use this behavior to trigger outbound authentication attempts and capture NTLM material. The detection relies on process creation telemetry, matching the RpcPing.exe binary name and specific command-line arguments (including NTLM and ncacn_np).
references:
  - https://lolbas-project.github.io/lolbas/Binaries/Rpcping/
  - https://twitter.com/vysecurity/status/974806438316072960
  - https://twitter.com/vysecurity/status/873181705024266241
  - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/it-pro/windows-server-2012-r2-and-2012/hh875578(v=ws.11)
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_rpcping_credential_capture.yml
author: Julia Fomina, oscd.community, Huntrule Team
date: 2020-10-09
modified: 2025-10-31
tags:
  - attack.credential-access
  - attack.t1003
logsource:
  category: process_creation
  product: windows
detection:
  selection_main_img:
    - Image|endswith: \RpcPing.exe
    - OriginalFileName: \RpcPing.exe
  selection_main_flag:
    CommandLine|contains|windash: -s
  selection_cli_ntlm:
    CommandLine|contains|windash: -u
    CommandLine|contains: NTLM
  selection_cli_ncacn:
    CommandLine|contains|windash: -t
    CommandLine|contains: ncacn_np
  condition: all of selection_main_* and 1 of selection_cli_*
falsepositives:
  - Unlikely
level: medium
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: 93671f99-04eb-4ab4-a161-70d446a84003
    type: derived