Windows UAC bypass using wsreset.exe with high/SYSTEM integrity

Alerts when wsreset.exe is executed with elevated integrity (High or SYSTEM), indicating a potential UAC bypass attempt.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v1

Product: windows
Category: process_creation
Author: Christian Burkard (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published: 2021-08-23
Updated: 2026-07-30

Analysis Detection

ATT&CK techniques

Priv Esc → Defense Evasion

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
- T1548.002Bypass User Account Control
Defense Evasion
- T1548.002Bypass User Account Control
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule flags process creation events where wsreset.exe runs with elevated integrity levels commonly associated with UAC bypass scenarios. Attackers abuse Windows components like wsreset.exe to attempt privilege escalation by launching a trusted binary in a context that indicates elevated execution. The detection relies on Windows process creation telemetry and the process integrity level reported for wsreset.exe (including High and SYSTEM-related SIDs).

Reporting behind it

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Windows UAC bypass using wsreset.exe with high/SYSTEM integrity

Pivot detection · T1548.002 · 9 related

Detection content is published as a reviewed draft. Tune thresholds and exclusions against your own telemetry before enabling this rule for alerting.

windows-uac-bypass-using-wsreset-exe-with-high-system-integrity-89a9a0e0

title: Windows UAC bypass using wsreset.exe with high/SYSTEM integrity
id: f602ea46-48e1-40c2-af13-52a4c42a4c98
status: test
description: This rule flags process creation events where wsreset.exe runs with elevated integrity levels commonly associated with UAC bypass scenarios. Attackers abuse Windows components like wsreset.exe to attempt privilege escalation by launching a trusted binary in a context that indicates elevated execution. The detection relies on Windows process creation telemetry and the process integrity level reported for wsreset.exe (including High and SYSTEM-related SIDs).
references:
  - https://lolbas-project.github.io/lolbas/Binaries/Wsreset/
  - https://github.com/hfiref0x/UACME
  - https://medium.com/falconforce/falconfriday-detecting-uac-bypasses-0xff16-86c2a9107abf
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_uac_bypass_wsreset_integrity_level.yml
author: Christian Burkard (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2021-08-23
modified: 2024-12-01
tags:
  - attack.privilege-escalation
  - attack.t1548.002
logsource:
  category: process_creation
  product: windows
detection:
  selection:
    Image|endswith: \wsreset.exe
    IntegrityLevel:
      - High
      - System
      - S-1-16-16384
      - S-1-16-12288
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Unknown
level: high
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: 89a9a0e0-f61a-42e5-8957-b1479565a658
    type: derived

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