Windows Process Execution of Windows Credential Editor (WCE) Executables

Flags execution of Windows Credential Editor (WCE.exe/WCE64.exe) using image name endings and known imphash values.

FreeReviewedSigma · Critical · v2

Product: windows
Category: process_creation
Author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published: 2019-12-31
Updated: 2026-07-31

ATT&CK techniques

Cred Access

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
- T1003.001LSASS Memory
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule detects the execution of Windows Credential Editor by matching process image names ending with WCE.exe or WCE64.exe and correlating with specific file imphashes. WCE is commonly used in post-exploitation to extract credentials from memory, making its execution a strong indicator of credential access activity. The detection relies on Windows process creation telemetry (process image path/name) and available file hash (imphash) metadata.

Reporting behind it

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Windows Process Execution of Windows Credential Editor (WCE) Executables

Pivot detection · T1003.001 · 9 related

Changelog

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-process-creation-detecting-wce-exe-wce64-exe-credential-editor-execution-7aa7009a

title: Windows Process Execution of Windows Credential Editor (WCE) Executables
id: 25d5a140-0e8f-4054-9cd5-18b3f9567e71
status: test
description: This rule detects the execution of Windows Credential Editor by matching process image names ending with WCE.exe or WCE64.exe and correlating with specific file imphashes. WCE is commonly used in post-exploitation to extract credentials from memory, making its execution a strong indicator of credential access activity. The detection relies on Windows process creation telemetry (process image path/name) and available file hash (imphash) metadata.
references:
  - https://www.ampliasecurity.com/research/windows-credentials-editor/
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_hktl_wce.yml
author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2019-12-31
modified: 2025-10-21
tags:
  - attack.credential-access
  - attack.t1003.001
  - attack.s0005
logsource:
  category: process_creation
  product: windows
detection:
  selection_img:
    Image|endswith:
      - \WCE.exe
      - \WCE64.exe
  selection_hash:
    Hashes|contains:
      - IMPHASH=136F0A8572C058A96436C82E541E4C41
      - IMPHASH=589657C64DDE88533186C39F82FA1F50
      - IMPHASH=6BFE09EFCB4FFDE061EBDBAFC4DB84CF
      - IMPHASH=7D490037BF450877E6D0287BDCFF8D2E
      - IMPHASH=8AB93B061287C79F3088C5BC7E7D97ED
      - IMPHASH=A53A02B997935FD8EEDCB5F7ABAB9B9F
      - IMPHASH=BA434A7A729EEC20E136CA4C32D6C740
      - IMPHASH=BD1D1547DA13C0FCB6C15E86217D5EB8
      - IMPHASH=E96A73C7BF33A464C510EDE582318BF2
  condition: 1 of selection_*
falsepositives:
  - Unknown
level: critical
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: 7aa7009a-28b9-4344-8c1f-159489a390df
    type: derived

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