Potential Binary Impersonating Sysinternals Tools

Hunt Hypothesis

Detects binaries that use the same name as legitimate sysinternals tools to evade detection. This rule looks for the execution of binaries that are named similarly to Sysinternals tools. Adversary may

Detection Rule

Sigma (Original)

title: Potential Binary Impersonating Sysinternals Tools
id: 7cce6fc8-a07f-4d84-a53e-96e1879843c9
status: test
description: |
    Detects binaries that use the same name as legitimate sysinternals tools to evade detection.
    This rule looks for the execution of binaries that are named similarly to Sysinternals tools.
    Adversary may rename their malicious tools as legitimate Sysinternals tools to evade detection.
references:
    - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/sysinternals-suite
author: frack113, Swachchhanda Shrawan Poudel (Nextron Systems)
date: 2021-12-20
modified: 2025-04-12
tags:
    - attack.execution
    - attack.stealth
    - attack.t1218
    - attack.t1202
    - attack.t1036.005
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection_exe:
        Image|endswith:
            - '\accesschk.exe'
            - '\accesschk64.exe'
            - '\AccessEnum.exe'
            - '\ADExplorer.exe'
            - '\ADExplorer64.exe'
            - '\ADInsight.exe'
            - '\ADInsight64.exe'
            - '\adrestore.exe'
            - '\adrestore64.exe'
            - '\Autologon.exe'
            - '\Autologon64.exe'
            - '\Autoruns.exe'
            - '\Autoruns64.exe'
            - '\autorunsc.exe'
            - '\autorunsc64.exe'
            - '\Bginfo.exe'
            - '\Bginfo64.exe'
            - '\Cacheset.exe'
            - '\Cacheset64.exe'
            - '\Clockres.exe'
            - '\Clockres64.exe'
            - '\Contig.exe'
            - '\Contig64.exe'
            - '\Coreinfo.exe'
            - '\Coreinfo64.exe'
            - '\CPUSTRES.EXE'
            - '\CPUSTRES64.EXE'
            - '\ctrl2cap.exe'
            - '\Dbgview.exe'
            - '\dbgview64.exe'
            - '\Desktops.exe'
            - '\Desktops64.exe'
            - '\disk2vhd.exe'
            - '\disk2vhd64.exe'
            - '\diskext.exe'
            - '\diskext64.exe'
            - '\Diskmon.exe'
            - '\Diskmon64.exe'
            - '\DiskView.exe'
            - '\DiskView64.exe'
            - '\du.exe'
            - '\du64.exe'
            - '\efsdump.exe'
            - '\FindLinks.exe'
            - '\FindLinks64.exe'
            - '\handle.exe'
            - '\handle64.exe'
            - '\hex2dec.exe'
            - '\hex2dec64.exe'
            - '\junction.exe'
            - '\junction64.exe'
            - '\ldmdump.exe'
            - '\listdlls.exe'
            - '\listdlls64.exe'
            - '\livekd.exe'
            - '\livekd64.exe'
            - '\loadOrd.exe'
            - '\loadOrd64.exe'
            - '\loadOrdC.exe'
            - '\loadOrdC64.exe'
            - '\logonsessions.exe'
            - '\logonsessions64.exe'
            - '\movefile.exe'
            - '\movefile64.exe'
            - '\notmyfault.exe'
            - '\notmyfault64.exe'
            - '\notmyfaultc.exe'
            - '\notmyfaultc64.exe'
            - '\ntfsinfo.exe'
            - '\ntfsinfo64.exe'
            - '\pendmoves.exe'
            - '\pendmoves64.exe'
            - '\pipelist.exe'
            - '\pipelist64.exe'
            - '\portmon.exe'
            - '\procdump.exe'
            - '\procdump64.exe'
            - '\procexp.exe'
            - '\procexp64.exe'
            - '\Procmon.exe'
            - '\Procmon64.exe'
            - '\psExec.exe'
            - '\psExec64.exe'
            - '\psfile.exe'
            - '\psfile64.exe'
            - '\psGetsid.exe'
            - '\psGetsid64.exe'
            - '\psInfo.exe'
            - '\psInfo64.exe'
            - '\pskill.exe'
            - '\pskill64.exe'
            - '\pslist.exe'
            - '\pslist64.exe'
            - '\psLoggedon.exe'
            - '\psLoggedon64.exe'
            - '\psloglist.exe'
            - '\psloglist64.exe'
            - '\pspasswd.exe'
            - '\pspasswd64.exe'
            - '\psping.exe'
            - '\psping64.exe'
            - '\psService.exe'
            - '\psService64.exe'
            - '\psshutdown.exe'
            - '\psshutdown64.exe'
            - '\pssuspend.exe'
            - '\pssuspend64.exe'
            - '\RAMMap.exe'
            - '\RAMMap64.exe'
            - '\RDCMan.exe'
            - '\RegDelNull.exe'
            - '\RegDelNull64.exe'
            - '\regjump.exe'
            - '\ru.exe'
            - '\ru64.exe'
            - '\sdelete.exe'
            - '\sdelete64.exe'
            - '\ShareEnum.exe'
            - '\ShareEnum64.exe'
            - '\shellRunas.exe'
            - '\sigcheck.exe'
            - '\sigcheck64.exe'
            - '\streams.exe'
            - '\streams64.exe'
            - '\strings.exe'
            - '\strings64.exe'
            - '\sync.exe'
            - '\sync64.exe'
            - '\Sysmon.exe'
            - '\Sysmon64.exe'
            - '\tcpvcon.exe'
            - '\tcpvcon64.exe'
            - '\tcpview.exe'
            - '\tcpview64.exe'
            - '\Testlimit.exe'
            - '\Testlimit64.exe'
            - '\vmmap.exe'
            - '\vmmap64.exe'
            - '\Volumeid.exe'
            - '\Volumeid64.exe'
            - '\whois.exe'
            - '\whois64.exe'
            - '\Winobj.exe'
            - '\Winobj64.exe'
            - '\ZoomIt.exe'
            - '\ZoomIt64.exe'
    selection_arm64:
        Image|endswith:
            - '\accesschk64a.exe'
            - '\ADExplorer64a.exe'
            - '\ADInsight64a.exe'
            - '\adrestore64a.exe'
            - '\Autologon64a.exe'
            - '\Autoruns64a.exe'
            - '\autorunsc64a.exe'
            - '\Clockres64a.exe'
            - '\Contig64a.exe'
            - '\Coreinfo64a.exe'
            - '\Dbgview64a.exe'
            - '\disk2vhd64a.exe'
            - '\diskext64a.exe'
            - '\DiskView64a.exe'
            - '\du64a.exe'
            - '\FindLinks64a.exe'
            - '\handle64a.exe'
            - '\hex2dec64a.exe'
            - '\junction64a.exe'
            - '\LoadOrd64a.exe'
            - '\LoadOrdC64a.exe'
            - '\logonsessions64a.exe'
            - '\movefile64a.exe'
            - '\notmyfault64a.exe'
            - '\notmyfaultc64a.exe'
            - '\pendmoves64a.exe'
            - '\pipelist64a.exe'
            - '\procdump64a.exe'
            - '\procexp64a.exe'
            - '\Procmon64a.exe'
            - '\PsExec64a.exe'
            - '\psfile64a.exe'
            - '\PsGetsid64a.exe'
            - '\PsInfo64a.exe'
            - '\pskill64a.exe'
            - '\psloglist64a.exe'
            - '\pspasswd64a.exe'
            - '\psping64a.exe'
            - '\PsService64a.exe'
            - '\pssuspend64a.exe'
            - '\RAMMap64a.exe'
            - '\RegDelNull64a.exe'
            - '\ru64a.exe'
            - '\sdelete64a.exe'
            - '\sigcheck64a.exe'
            - '\streams64a.exe'
            - '\strings64a.exe'
            - '\sync64a.exe'
            - '\Sysmon64a.exe'
            - '\tcpvcon64a.exe'
            - '\tcpview64a.exe'
            - '\vmmap64a.exe'
            - '\whois64a.exe'
            - '\Winobj64a.exe'
            - '\ZoomIt64a.exe'
    filter_valid:
        - Company:
              - 'Sysinternals - www.sysinternals.com'
              - 'Sysinternals'
        - Product|startswith: 'Sysinternals'
    filter_empty:
        - Company: null
        - Product: null
    condition: 1 of selection_* and not 1 of filter_*
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: medium

KQL (Azure Sentinel)

imProcessCreate
| where ((TargetProcessName endswith "\\accesschk.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\accesschk64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\AccessEnum.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\ADExplorer.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\ADExplorer64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\ADInsight.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\ADInsight64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\adrestore.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\adrestore64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\Autologon.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\Autologon64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\Autoruns.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\Autoruns64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\autorunsc.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\autorunsc64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\Bginfo.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\Bginfo64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\Cacheset.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\Cacheset64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\Clockres.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\Clockres64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\Contig.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\Contig64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\Coreinfo.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\Coreinfo64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\CPUSTRES.EXE" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\CPUSTRES64.EXE" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\ctrl2cap.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\Dbgview.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\dbgview64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\Desktops.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\Desktops64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\disk2vhd.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\disk2vhd64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\diskext.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\diskext64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\Diskmon.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\Diskmon64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\DiskView.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\DiskView64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\du.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\du64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\efsdump.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\FindLinks.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\FindLinks64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\handle.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\handle64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\hex2dec.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\hex2dec64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\junction.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\junction64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\ldmdump.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\listdlls.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\listdlls64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\livekd.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\livekd64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\loadOrd.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\loadOrd64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\loadOrdC.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\loadOrdC64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\logonsessions.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\logonsessions64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\movefile.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\movefile64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\notmyfault.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\notmyfault64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\notmyfaultc.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\notmyfaultc64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\ntfsinfo.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\ntfsinfo64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\pendmoves.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\pendmoves64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\pipelist.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\pipelist64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\portmon.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\procdump.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\procdump64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\procexp.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\procexp64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\Procmon.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\Procmon64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\psExec.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\psExec64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\psfile.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\psfile64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\psGetsid.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\psGetsid64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\psInfo.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\psInfo64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\pskill.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\pskill64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\pslist.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\pslist64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\psLoggedon.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\psLoggedon64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\psloglist.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\psloglist64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\pspasswd.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\pspasswd64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\psping.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\psping64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\psService.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\psService64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\psshutdown.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\psshutdown64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\pssuspend.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\pssuspend64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\RAMMap.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\RAMMap64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\RDCMan.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\RegDelNull.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\RegDelNull64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\regjump.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\ru.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\ru64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\sdelete.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\sdelete64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\ShareEnum.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\ShareEnum64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\shellRunas.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\sigcheck.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\sigcheck64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\streams.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\streams64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\strings.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\strings64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\sync.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\sync64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\Sysmon.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\Sysmon64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\tcpvcon.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\tcpvcon64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\tcpview.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\tcpview64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\Testlimit.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\Testlimit64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\vmmap.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\vmmap64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\Volumeid.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\Volumeid64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\whois.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\whois64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\Winobj.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\Winobj64.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\ZoomIt.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\ZoomIt64.exe") or (TargetProcessName endswith "\\accesschk64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\ADExplorer64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\ADInsight64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\adrestore64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\Autologon64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\Autoruns64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\autorunsc64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\Clockres64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\Contig64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\Coreinfo64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\Dbgview64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\disk2vhd64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\diskext64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\DiskView64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\du64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\FindLinks64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\handle64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\hex2dec64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\junction64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\LoadOrd64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\LoadOrdC64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\logonsessions64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\movefile64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\notmyfault64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\notmyfaultc64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\pendmoves64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\pipelist64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\procdump64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\procexp64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\Procmon64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\PsExec64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\psfile64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\PsGetsid64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\PsInfo64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\pskill64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\psloglist64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\pspasswd64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\psping64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\PsService64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\pssuspend64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\RAMMap64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\RegDelNull64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\ru64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\sdelete64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\sigcheck64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\streams64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\strings64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\sync64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\Sysmon64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\tcpvcon64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\tcpview64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\vmmap64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\whois64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\Winobj64a.exe" or TargetProcessName endswith "\\ZoomIt64a.exe")) and (not((((TargetProcessFileCompany in~ ("Sysinternals - www.sysinternals.com", "Sysinternals")) or TargetProcessFileProduct startswith "Sysinternals") or (isnull(TargetProcessFileCompany) or isnull(TargetProcessFileProduct)))))

Required Data Sources

False Positive Guidance

• Unknown

MITRE ATT&CK Context

• Tactic: Execution
• Technique: T1218 — T1218
• Technique: T1202 — T1202
• Technique: T1036.005 — T1036.005

References

• https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/sysinternals-suite
• SigmaHQ Rule