Windows Security Event 4794 Password Change for DSRM Account

Flags potential changes to the DSRM administrator password on Windows domain controllers using Security EventID 4794.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v2

Product: windows
Service: security
Author: Thomas Patzke (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published: 2017-02-19
Updated: 2026-07-31

ATT&CK techniques

Persistence → Priv Esc

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
- T1098Account Manipulation
Priv Esc
- T1098Account Manipulation
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule flags Windows Security log EventID 4794, which indicates an attempt to change the Directory Services Restore Mode (DSRM) administrator password on a domain controller. Changing the DSRM password can be used by an attacker to maintain access or regain control during directory service recovery scenarios. It relies on Security auditing telemetry for the password-change event from the affected domain controller.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1098 — drag to rearrange

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Malicious User Password Change Using Current Hash Password - ChangeNTLM - Mimikatz (via security)

Suspicious Account Password Set to Never Expire. (via security)

Malicious Modification of a Computer Account SPN (via security)

Suspicious Massive Group Membership Changes (via security)

Malicious High Risk Active Directory Group Membership Change (via security)

Malicious Account Marked as Sensitive and Cannot Be Delegated Had Its Protection Removed (via security)

Malicious Host Constrained Delegation Settings Changed for Potential Abuse (Rubeus) - Kerberos Only (via security)

Windows Security Event 4794 Password Change for DSRM Account

Pivot detection · T1098 · 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-security-4794-dsrm-directory-services-restore-mode-account-password-chan-53ad8e36

title: Windows Security Event 4794 Password Change for DSRM Account
id: 8b223f3e-f4bf-483d-83fa-4f853fc5747f
related:
  - id: b61e87c0-50db-4b2e-8986-6a2be94b33b0
    type: similar
  - id: 53ad8e36-f573-46bf-97e4-15ba5bf4bb51
    type: derived
status: stable
description: This rule flags Windows Security log EventID 4794, which indicates an attempt to change the Directory Services Restore Mode (DSRM) administrator password on a domain controller. Changing the DSRM password can be used by an attacker to maintain access or regain control during directory service recovery scenarios. It relies on Security auditing telemetry for the password-change event from the affected domain controller.
references:
  - https://adsecurity.org/?p=1714
  - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/it-pro/windows-10/security/threat-protection/auditing/event-4794
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/builtin/security/win_security_susp_dsrm_password_change.yml
author: Thomas Patzke, Huntrule Team
date: 2017-02-19
modified: 2020-08-23
tags:
  - attack.privilege-escalation
  - attack.persistence
  - attack.t1098
logsource:
  product: windows
  service: security
detection:
  selection:
    EventID: 4794
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Initial installation of a domain controller.
level: high
license: DRL-1.1

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