huntrule

Windows Process Creation: Enable LM Hash Storage via Lsa\NoLMHash=0 in Command Line

Flags process command lines that set Lsa\NoLMHash to 0 to enable LM hash storage.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v1
Product
windows
Category
process_creation
Author
Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2023-12-15
Updated
2026-07-30
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

Persistence → 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 matches process creation command lines that reference Lsa\NoLMHash and include a value of 0, indicating an attempt to allow Windows to store LM hashes. Enabling LM hash storage can weaken password protection by permitting LAN Manager hash persistence in Active Directory and local SAM. Telemetry relies on Windows process creation events and the presence of the specified path and value within the command line.

Reporting behind it

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Malicious WDigest UseLogonCredential Enabled for Cleartext Credential Theft (via registry_set)
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Windows Process Creation: Enable LM Hash Storage via Lsa\NoLMHash=0 in Command Line
Pivot detection · T1112 · 9 related

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