huntrule

Windows System: Suspicious Clip.exe Execution via Service Control Manager (Event ID 7045)

Alerts on Windows service creation starting clipboard/Clip.exe-related binaries via Service Control Manager ImagePath.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v2
Product
windows
Service
system
Author
Nikita Nazarov, oscd.community (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2020-10-09
Updated
2026-07-31
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

Execution → Defense Evasion

  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 service creation where the Service Control Manager starts an executable path containing 'Clipboard' or 'i' and where the image path includes clip-related content. Attackers may use Clip.exe to support obfuscated PowerShell or stealthy payload staging by invoking clipboard-related binaries through service execution. The detection relies on System Event ID 7045 telemetry fields for the provider name and the service ImagePath content.

Reporting behind it

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Obfuscated Encoded PowerShell Payload Deployed - PowerShell (via powershell)
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Windows System: Suspicious Clip.exe Execution via Service Control Manager (Event ID 7045)
Pivot detection · T1027 · 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.