Windows Process Creation: Suspicious SetupComplete.cmd PartnerSetupComplete.cmd Execution

title: "Windows Process Creation: Suspicious SetupComplete.cmd PartnerSetupComplete.cmd Execution"
id: 092b2a1f-c5c9-42da-9b96-5ff79382897e
status: test
description: This rule flags process creation where the parent command line invokes cmd.exe via /c and references Windows Setup script paths, specifically ending with SetupComplete.cmd or PartnerSetupComplete.cmd. Such activity can indicate an attempt to exploit privilege escalation behavior associated with these update/installer scripts. It relies on Windows process creation telemetry, including parent command line content and process image paths, with exclusions for common Windows system script directories.
references:
  - https://web.archive.org/web/20200530031708/https://www.embercybersecurity.com/blog/cve-2019-1378-exploiting-an-access-control-privilege-escalation-vulnerability-in-windows-10-update-assistant-wua
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules-emerging-threats/2019/Exploits/CVE-2019-1378/proc_creation_win_exploit_cve_2019_1378.yml
author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), oscd.community, Jonhnathan Ribeiro, Huntrule Team
date: 2019-11-15
modified: 2021-11-27
tags:
  - attack.persistence
  - attack.privilege-escalation
  - attack.stealth
  - attack.t1068
  - attack.execution
  - attack.t1059.003
  - attack.t1574
  - cve.2019-1378
  - detection.emerging-threats
logsource:
  category: process_creation
  product: windows
detection:
  selection:
    ParentCommandLine|contains|all:
      - \cmd.exe
      - /c
      - C:\Windows\Setup\Scripts\
    ParentCommandLine|endswith:
      - SetupComplete.cmd
      - PartnerSetupComplete.cmd
  filter:
    Image|startswith:
      - C:\Windows\System32\
      - C:\Windows\SysWOW64\
      - C:\Windows\WinSxS\
      - C:\Windows\Setup\
  condition: selection and not filter
falsepositives:
  - Unknown
level: high
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: 1c373b6d-76ce-4553-997d-8c1da9a6b5f5
    type: derived