huntrule

Windows UAC Bypass via consent.exe with comctl32.dll file path pattern

Detects suspicious target path patterns involving consent.exe.@ and comctl32.dll consistent with UAC bypass staging.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v2
Product
windows
Category
file_event
Author
Christian Burkard (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2021-08-23
Updated
2026-07-31
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

Priv Esc → Defense Evasion

  1. Recon

  2. Resource Dev

  3. Initial Access

  4. Execution

  5. Persistence

  6. Priv Esc

  7. Defense Evasion

  8. Cred Access

  9. Discovery

  10. Lateral Movement

  11. Collection

  12. C2

  13. Exfiltration

  14. Impact

What it detects

Identifies file events where a target filename begins with C:\Windows\System32\consent.exe.@ and ends with \comctl32.dll. This pattern is associated with a UAC bypass technique that leverages a specific consent executable behavior in combination with comctl32.dll. Detection relies on available file event telemetry that includes the full target filename for the attempted operation.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1548.002 — drag to rearrange
Possible UAC Bypass via easinvoker Spawning Batch Script (via process_creation)
Suspicious UAC Bypass by Disabling Admin Consent Prompt via registry_set
Malicious Cloud Atlas UAC Bypass via fodhelper (via process_creation)
Suspicious computerdefaults.exe Spawning Child Process
Suspicious UAC Bypass via control.exe App Paths or Shell Open Command Hijack
Malicious UAC Bypass via COMAutoApprovalList Registry Modification (via registry_set)
Suspicious UAC Bypass via COMAutoApprovalList Registry Modification (via registry_set)
Malicious UAC Bypass via explorer.exe NOUACCHECK Argument
Suspicious UAC Bypass via ms-settings Shell Command Hijack (via registry_set)
Windows UAC Bypass via consent.exe with comctl32.dll file path pattern
Pivot detection · T1548.002 · 9 related

Changelog

v2
  1. v2
    Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
  2. 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.