Windows UAC Bypass via WoW64 Logger DLL Hijack (Process Access Pattern)

Flags SysWOW64 process-access behavior with high granted access and unknown call traces consistent with a WoW64 logger DLL hijack UAC bypass.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v2

Product: windows
Category: process_access
Author: Christian Burkard (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published: 2021-08-23
Updated: 2026-07-31

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 identifies a likely UAC bypass attempt by matching a WoW64 logger DLL hijack behavior tied to process access events. Attackers may use DLL hijacking in the WoW64 context to influence a trusted process and bypass user account control protections. Detection relies on telemetry that includes the target process image path containing SysWOW64, a granted access value of 0x1fffff, and a call trace prefix indicating unknown caller information.

Reporting behind it

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Windows UAC Bypass via WoW64 Logger DLL Hijack (Process Access Pattern)

Pivot detection · T1548.002 · 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-uac-bypass-via-wow64-logger-dll-hijack-uacme-30-pattern-4f6c43e2

title: Windows UAC Bypass via WoW64 Logger DLL Hijack (Process Access Pattern)
id: 28a42cfc-701c-40b7-9c27-da2bf0076a6c
status: test
description: This rule identifies a likely UAC bypass attempt by matching a WoW64 logger DLL hijack behavior tied to process access events. Attackers may use DLL hijacking in the WoW64 context to influence a trusted process and bypass user account control protections. Detection relies on telemetry that includes the target process image path containing SysWOW64, a granted access value of 0x1fffff, and a call trace prefix indicating unknown caller information.
references:
  - https://github.com/hfiref0x/UACME
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_access/proc_access_win_uac_bypass_wow64_logger.yml
author: Christian Burkard (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2021-08-23
modified: 2022-10-09
tags:
  - attack.privilege-escalation
  - attack.t1548.002
logsource:
  category: process_access
  product: windows
detection:
  selection:
    SourceImage|contains: :\Windows\SysWOW64\
    GrantedAccess: "0x1fffff"
    CallTrace|startswith: UNKNOWN(0000000000000000)|UNKNOWN(0000000000000000)|
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Unknown
level: high
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: 4f6c43e2-f989-4ea5-bcd8-843b49a0317c
    type: derived

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