Windows Service Control Manager TAP Driver 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 matches Windows Service Control Manager events indicating installation of a driver service whose ImagePath contains the string tap0901. Attackers may use well-known TAP driver software to establish tunneling or network redirection paths that can support data exfiltration. Telemetry relies on Windows system logging for service creation/installation (EventID 7045) and the reported ImagePath field.

Reporting behind it

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Windows Service Control Manager TAP Driver 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-service-creation-for-tap-driver-installation-service-control-manager-704-8e4cf0e5

title: Windows Service Control Manager TAP Driver Installation (tap0901)
id: c36db1e0-3163-49e6-86c6-372560a2af85
status: test
description: This rule matches Windows Service Control Manager events indicating installation of a driver service whose ImagePath contains the string tap0901. Attackers may use well-known TAP driver software to establish tunneling or network redirection paths that can support data exfiltration. Telemetry relies on Windows system logging for service creation/installation (EventID 7045) and the reported ImagePath field.
references:
  - https://community.openvpn.net/openvpn/wiki/ManagingWindowsTAPDrivers
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/builtin/system/service_control_manager/win_system_service_install_tap_driver.yml
author: Daniil Yugoslavskiy, Ian Davis, oscd.community, Huntrule Team
date: 2019-10-24
modified: 2022-12-25
tags:
  - attack.exfiltration
  - attack.t1048
logsource:
  product: windows
  service: system
detection:
  selection:
    Provider_Name: Service Control Manager
    EventID: 7045
    ImagePath|contains: tap0901
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Legitimate OpenVPN TAP installation
level: medium
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: 8e4cf0e5-aa5d-4dc3-beff-dc26917744a9
    type: derived

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