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

Detects RpcPing.exe RPC test usage with parameters indicating NTLM authentication attempts.

FreeReviewedSigma · Medium · v1
Product
windows
Category
process_creation
Author
Julia Fomina, oscd.community (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2020-10-09
Updated
2026-07-30
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

Cred Access

  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 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).

Reporting behind it

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Malicious Mimikatz Malicious Security Package (SSP) Exfiltrates Cleartext Passwords in File (via file_event)
Malicious WDigest UseLogonCredential Enablement For Credential Theft
Windows: Identify RpcPing.exe -s RPC test that requests NTLM authentication
Pivot detection · T1003 · 9 related

Detection content is published as a reviewed draft. Tune thresholds and exclusions against your own telemetry before enabling this rule for alerting.