Windows Service Installation via Scripted ImagePath Indicators (Event 7045)
Identifies suspicious Windows service installations that embed script host execution via Event ID 7045 ImagePath patterns.
- Product
- windows
- Service
- system
- Author
- pH-T (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
- Published
- 2022-03-18
- Updated
- 2026-07-31
ATT&CK techniques
Persistence → Priv EscRecon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact
What it detects
This rule flags Windows service creation events (Service Control Manager, EventID 7045) where the service ImagePath contains specific command-line flags and script or scripting host binaries. Attackers often abuse service installation for persistence and privilege escalation by registering a service that executes scripts or scriptable interpreters. The detection relies on Windows service installation telemetry that records the Provider_Name and the ImagePath content from Event 7045.
Reporting behind it
Changelog
v2- v2Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
- v1No 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.
title: Windows Service Installation via Scripted ImagePath Indicators (Event 7045)
id: 14915478-da3c-4a01-ba8f-6e284985de38
status: test
description: This rule flags Windows service creation events (Service Control Manager, EventID 7045) where the service ImagePath contains specific command-line flags and script or scripting host binaries. Attackers often abuse service installation for persistence and privilege escalation by registering a service that executes scripts or scriptable interpreters. The detection relies on Windows service installation telemetry that records the Provider_Name and the ImagePath content from Event 7045.
references:
- Internal Research
- https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/builtin/system/service_control_manager/win_system_susp_service_installation_script.yml
author: pH-T (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2022-03-18
modified: 2024-03-05
tags:
- attack.persistence
- attack.privilege-escalation
- car.2013-09-005
- attack.t1543.003
logsource:
product: windows
service: system
detection:
selection_eid:
Provider_Name: Service Control Manager
EventID: 7045
selection_cmd_flags:
ImagePath|contains|windash:
- " -c "
- " -r "
- " -k "
selection_binaries:
ImagePath|contains:
- cscript
- mshta
- powershell
- pwsh
- regsvr32
- rundll32
- wscript
condition: all of selection_*
falsepositives:
- Unknown
level: high
license: DRL-1.1
related:
- id: 70f00d10-60b2-4f34-b9a0-dc3df3fe762a
type: derived