Windows: Service Created by System Using Client with PID 0 (SCM Event 7045)

Alerts on Windows service installation events (SCM EventID 7045) where the client process ID is 0.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v2

Product: windows
Service: system
Author: Tim Rauch (Nextron Systems), Elastic (idea) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published: 2022-09-15
Updated: 2026-07-31

ATT&CK techniques

Persistence → Priv Esc

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
- T1543Create or Modify System Process
Priv Esc
- T1543Create or Modify System Process
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule flags Windows service creation events from the Service Control Manager (EventID 7045) when the recorded client process has PID 0. An attacker may attempt to obscure the origin of service installation by using anomalous process identifiers. The detection relies on Windows service installation telemetry, specifically the SCM provider event fields capturing the client ProcessId value.

Reporting behind it

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Windows: Service Created by System Using Client with PID 0 (SCM Event 7045)

Pivot detection · T1543 · 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-installed-by-system-process-with-pid-0-71c276aa

title: "Windows: Service Created by System Using Client with PID 0 (SCM Event 7045)"
id: bfe0643e-0592-4d61-a5e1-4549c706a011
related:
  - id: c4e92a97-a9ff-4392-9d2d-7a4c642768ca
    type: similar
  - id: 71c276aa-49cd-43d2-b920-2dcd3e6962d5
    type: derived
status: test
description: This rule flags Windows service creation events from the Service Control Manager (EventID 7045) when the recorded client process has PID 0. An attacker may attempt to obscure the origin of service installation by using anomalous process identifiers. The detection relies on Windows service installation telemetry, specifically the SCM provider event fields capturing the client ProcessId value.
references:
  - https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/security/current/windows-service-installed-via-an-unusual-client.html
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/builtin/system/service_control_manager/win_system_service_install_sups_unusal_client.yml
author: Tim Rauch (Nextron Systems), Elastic (idea), Huntrule Team
date: 2022-09-15
modified: 2023-01-04
tags:
  - attack.persistence
  - attack.privilege-escalation
  - attack.t1543
logsource:
  product: windows
  service: system
detection:
  selection:
    Provider_Name: Service Control Manager
    EventID: 7045
    ProcessId: 0
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Unknown
level: high
license: DRL-1.1

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