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Antivirus detections of PrinterNightmare PoC file creation path on Windows

Alerts on antivirus events where filenames include the Windows spooler driver x64 directory path, excluding Symantec submission messages.

FreeReviewedSigma · Critical · v5
Category
antivirus
Author
Sittikorn S, Nuttakorn T, Tim Shelton (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2021-07-01
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 a suspicious file created with a Windows Print Spooler driver path commonly used in PrinterNightmare PoC activity. Attackers may drop or submit files into the spool driver directory to attempt exploitation, so matching this specific path helps surface potentially malicious PrinterNightmare-related behavior. It relies on antivirus telemetry that records the submitted filename and checks for a match on the expected System32 spool driver x64 location, while excluding a specific “File submitted to Symantec” message.

Reporting behind it

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Antivirus detections of PrinterNightmare PoC file creation path on Windows
Pivot detection · T1055 · 9 related

Changelog

v5
  1. v5
    Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
  2. v4
    Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
  3. v3
    Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
  4. v2
    Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
  5. 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.