Windows Task Manager Creating lsass.dmp in Temp

Alerts when Task Manager creates a Temp lsass .DMP file consistent with LSASS memory dumping.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v2

Product: windows
Category: file_event
Author: Swachchhanda Shrawan Poudel (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published: 2023-10-19
Updated: 2026-07-31

ATT&CK techniques

Cred Access

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
- T1003.001LSASS Memory
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule flags file creation events where taskmgr.exe writes a dump file containing the strings lsass and .DMP under AppData\Local\Temp. Attackers commonly dump LSASS process memory to obtain credential material, and doing so via Task Manager can evade less visible tools. Telemetry relies on Windows file event logs capturing the creating process path and the target filename/path.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1003.001 — drag to rearrange

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Malicious LSASS Credential Dump via Rundll32 Comsvcs MiniDump via Process Creation (via process_creation)

Suspicious LSASS Credential Access via PowerShell (via process_creation)

Suspicious LSASS Memory Dump via Task Manager After Ivanti Exploitation

Suspicious ProcDump LSASS Memory Dump via process_creation

Malicious Mimikatz Credential Dump Log File Creation (via file_event)

Malicious WDigest UseLogonCredential Enabled for Cleartext Credential Theft (via registry_set)

Windows Task Manager Creating lsass.dmp in Temp

Pivot detection · T1003.001 · 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-taskmgr-exe-creating-lsass-dmp-in-temp-directory-69ca12af

title: Windows Task Manager Creating lsass.dmp in Temp
id: 3172217d-cb45-4572-a81a-27e61096cc28
status: test
description: This rule flags file creation events where taskmgr.exe writes a dump file containing the strings lsass and .DMP under AppData\Local\Temp. Attackers commonly dump LSASS process memory to obtain credential material, and doing so via Task Manager can evade less visible tools. Telemetry relies on Windows file event logs capturing the creating process path and the target filename/path.
author: Swachchhanda Shrawan Poudel, Huntrule Team
date: 2023-10-19
references:
  - https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/987e3ca988ae3cff4b9f6e388c139c05bf44bbb8/atomics/T1003.001/T1003.001.md#L1
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/file/file_event/file_event_win_taskmgr_lsass_dump.yml
tags:
  - attack.credential-access
  - attack.t1003.001
logsource:
  category: file_event
  product: windows
detection:
  selection:
    Image|endswith:
      - :\Windows\system32\taskmgr.exe
      - :\Windows\SysWOW64\taskmgr.exe
    TargetFilename|contains|all:
      - \AppData\Local\Temp\
      - \lsass
      - .DMP
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Rare case of troubleshooting by an administrator or support that has to be investigated regardless
level: high
regression_tests_path: regression_data/rules/windows/file/file_event/file_event_win_taskmgr_lsass_dump/info.yml
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: 69ca12af-119d-44ed-b50f-a47af0ebc364
    type: derived

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