Windows Security 4697: TAP Driver Service Installation (tap0901)

ATT&CK techniques

Exfiltration

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
- T1048Exfiltration Over Alternative Protocol
Impact

What it detects

This rule flags Windows Security Event ID 4697 when a service is installed with a service file name containing "tap0901". Attackers may use TAP-style network drivers to establish tunneling infrastructure as part of data exfiltration or related staging activities. The detection relies on the Windows Security audit event that records new service installation details, specifically the EventID 4697 service file name field.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1048 — drag to rearrange

Malicious Bulk Data Exfiltration via Rclone (via process_creation)

BITS Payload Downloaded via Commandline (via process_creation)

BITS Payload Downloaded via PowerShell (via powershell)

Data Exfiltration to WebDAV Share via curl Upload

Suspicious Data Exfiltration via Finger LOLBIN

Malicious Bad Apples Data Exfiltration via snmptrap OID

Suspicious rclone Masquerading as Avast Binary by The Gentlemen RaaS (via process_creation)

Windows DNS Queries to git-tanstack.com and filev2.getsession.org

Windows Process Execution: Restic Backup Tool Command-Line Indicators

Windows Security 4697: TAP Driver Service Installation (tap0901)

Pivot detection · T1048 · 9 related

Changelog

v2

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-security-4697-tap-driver-service-installation-tap0901-9c8afa4d

title: "Windows Security 4697: TAP Driver Service Installation (tap0901)"
id: 6c876da6-2def-4731-bad5-1c461fb3c2b2
related:
  - id: 8e4cf0e5-aa5d-4dc3-beff-dc26917744a9
    type: derived
  - id: 9c8afa4d-0022-48f0-9456-3712466f9701
    type: derived
status: test
description: This rule flags Windows Security Event ID 4697 when a service is installed with a service file name containing "tap0901". Attackers may use TAP-style network drivers to establish tunneling infrastructure as part of data exfiltration or related staging activities. The detection relies on the Windows Security audit event that records new service installation details, specifically the EventID 4697 service file name field.
references:
  - https://community.openvpn.net/openvpn/wiki/ManagingWindowsTAPDrivers
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/builtin/security/win_security_tap_driver_installation.yml
author: Daniil Yugoslavskiy, Ian Davis, oscd.community, Huntrule Team
date: 2019-10-24
modified: 2022-11-29
tags:
  - attack.exfiltration
  - attack.t1048
logsource:
  product: windows
  service: security
  definition: "Requirements: The System Security Extension audit subcategory need to be enabled to log the EID 4697"
detection:
  selection:
    EventID: 4697
    ServiceFileName|contains: tap0901
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Legitimate OpenVPN TAP installation
level: low
license: DRL-1.1

Convert

This rule as a query you can run. Uses no unlock credit.

SplunkSPL