huntrule

Windows: Detects Access to ADMIN$ Network Share (Event 5140)

Alerts on Windows Security event 5140 entries where an access request targets the ADMIN$ share.

FreeReviewedSigma · Low · v2
Product
windows
Service
security
Author
Florian Roth (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2017-03-04
Updated
2026-07-31
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

Lateral Movement

  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 flags Windows Security events where a client attempts to access the ADMIN$ hidden administrative network share. Access to ADMIN$ is a common step in Windows lateral movement because it can expose administrative file system paths used for remote control and deployment. Detection relies on audit event 5140 with ShareName set to Admin$ and applies an exclusion for subjects ending with a dollar sign.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1021.002 — drag to rearrange
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Suspicious Ransomware Fan-Out Deployment via PsExec Spread (Qilin)
Suspicious Impacket smbexec Command Execution Pattern
Malicious Impacket Wmiexec Remote Command Execution Pattern
Suspicious Remote Admin Share Execution via Conhost
Malicious Network Share Manipulation via Commandline (via process_creation)
Suspicious Number of Oustanding SMB Requests Increased (via process_creation)
Suspicious SMB Insecure Guest Authentication Activated - Native (via security)
Suspicious PSexec Execution Over SMB Share (via security)
Windows: Detects Access to ADMIN$ Network Share (Event 5140)
Pivot detection · T1021.002 · 9 related

Changelog

v2
  1. v2
    Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
  2. 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.