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.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v2

Product: windows
Service: system
Author: pH-T (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published: 2022-03-18
Updated: 2026-07-31

Analysis Detection

ATT&CK techniques

Persistence → Priv Esc

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
- T1543.003Windows Service
Priv Esc
- T1543.003Windows Service
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

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Windows Service Installation via Scripted ImagePath Indicators (Event 7045)

Pivot detection · T1543.003 · 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-service-installation-using-script-host-execution-event-id-7045-70f00d10

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

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