Windows Process Creation: Impacket HackTool Binary Execution via Named Image Matches
Flags execution of Windows impacket compiled binaries based on distinctive tool names in the process Image.
- Product
- windows
- Category
- process_creation
- Author
- Florian Roth (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
- Published
- 2021-07-24
- Updated
- 2026-07-31
ATT&CK techniques
Cred Access → CollectionRecon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Discovery
Lateral Movement
C2
Exfiltration
Impact
What it detects
This rule flags Windows process executions where the process image path contains known Impacket utility component names (e.g., goldenPac, secretsdump, ntlmrelayx) or ends with specific Impacket executable filenames. Attackers may use these compiled tool binaries to automate credential access, lateral movement, and service interaction. The detection relies on process creation telemetry with the executable image path to match these string patterns, which may generate false positives if impacket tools are used legitimately.
Reporting behind it
Changelog
v2- v2Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
- v1No 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.
title: "Windows Process Creation: Impacket HackTool Binary Execution via Named Image Matches"
id: 5ede2014-9589-4a8d-838e-30a1ad91baf2
status: test
description: This rule flags Windows process executions where the process image path contains known Impacket utility component names (e.g., goldenPac, secretsdump, ntlmrelayx) or ends with specific Impacket executable filenames. Attackers may use these compiled tool binaries to automate credential access, lateral movement, and service interaction. The detection relies on process creation telemetry with the executable image path to match these string patterns, which may generate false positives if impacket tools are used legitimately.
references:
- https://github.com/ropnop/impacket_static_binaries/releases/tag/0.9.21-dev-binaries
- https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_hktl_impacket_tools.yml
author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2021-07-24
modified: 2023-02-07
tags:
- attack.collection
- attack.execution
- attack.credential-access
- attack.t1557.001
logsource:
category: process_creation
product: windows
detection:
selection:
- Image|contains:
- \goldenPac
- \karmaSMB
- \kintercept
- \ntlmrelayx
- \rpcdump
- \samrdump
- \secretsdump
- \smbexec
- \smbrelayx
- \wmiexec
- \wmipersist
- Image|endswith:
- \atexec_windows.exe
- \dcomexec_windows.exe
- \dpapi_windows.exe
- \findDelegation_windows.exe
- \GetADUsers_windows.exe
- \GetNPUsers_windows.exe
- \getPac_windows.exe
- \getST_windows.exe
- \getTGT_windows.exe
- \GetUserSPNs_windows.exe
- \ifmap_windows.exe
- \mimikatz_windows.exe
- \netview_windows.exe
- \nmapAnswerMachine_windows.exe
- \opdump_windows.exe
- \psexec_windows.exe
- \rdp_check_windows.exe
- \sambaPipe_windows.exe
- \smbclient_windows.exe
- \smbserver_windows.exe
- \sniff_windows.exe
- \sniffer_windows.exe
- \split_windows.exe
- \ticketer_windows.exe
condition: selection
falsepositives:
- Legitimate use of the impacket tools
level: high
license: DRL-1.1
related:
- id: 4627c6ae-6899-46e2-aa0c-6ebcb1becd19
type: derived