{"id":"a1a144b7-5c9b-4853-a559-2172be8d4a03","title":"Remote Thread Creation In Uncommon Target Image","description":"Detects uncommon target processes for remote thread creation","author":"Florian Roth (Nextron Systems)","status":"test","level":"medium","date":"2022-03-16","modified":"2025-07-04","tags":["attack.privilege-escalation","attack.stealth","attack.t1055.003"],"technique_ids":["T1055.003"],"logsource":{"product":"windows","category":"create_remote_thread"},"falsepositives":["Unknown"],"references":["https://web.archive.org/web/20220319032520/https://blog.redbluepurple.io/offensive-research/bypassing-injection-detection"],"source_path":"rules/windows/create_remote_thread/create_remote_thread_win_susp_uncommon_target_image.yml","source_sha256":"225961bad8ea7548e84dfd4789d5ce9c42c68edee5532b03158f4376fa19e383","source_url":"https://github.com/anpa1200/sigma/blob/b249e9683190cffdcaf188ccbfb90bf4759844e1/rules/windows/create_remote_thread/create_remote_thread_win_susp_uncommon_target_image.yml","license":"Detection Rule License 1.1","license_url":"https://github.com/SigmaHQ/Detection-Rule-License/blob/main/LICENSE.Detection.Rules.md","yaml":"title: Remote Thread Creation In Uncommon Target Image\nid: a1a144b7-5c9b-4853-a559-2172be8d4a03\nrelated:\n    - id: f016c716-754a-467f-a39e-63c06f773987\n      type: obsolete\nstatus: test\ndescription: Detects uncommon target processes for remote thread creation\nreferences:\n    - https://web.archive.org/web/20220319032520/https://blog.redbluepurple.io/offensive-research/bypassing-injection-detection\nauthor: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems)\ndate: 2022-03-16\nmodified: 2025-07-04\ntags:\n    - attack.privilege-escalation\n    - attack.stealth\n    - attack.t1055.003\nlogsource:\n    product: windows\n    category: create_remote_thread\ndetection:\n    selection:\n        TargetImage|endswith:\n            - '\\calc.exe'\n            - '\\calculator.exe'\n            - '\\mspaint.exe'\n            - '\\notepad.exe'\n            - '\\ping.exe'\n            - '\\sethc.exe'\n            - '\\spoolsv.exe'\n            - '\\wordpad.exe'\n            - '\\write.exe'\n    filter_main_csrss:\n        SourceImage: 'C:\\Windows\\System32\\csrss.exe'\n    filter_main_notepad:\n        SourceImage:\n            - 'C:\\Windows\\System32\\explorer.exe'\n            - 'C:\\Windows\\System32\\OpenWith.exe'\n        TargetImage: 'C:\\Windows\\System32\\notepad.exe'\n    filter_main_sethc:\n        SourceImage: 'C:\\Windows\\System32\\AtBroker.exe'\n        TargetImage: 'C:\\Windows\\System32\\Sethc.exe'\n    filter_optional_aurora_1:\n        StartFunction: 'EtwpNotificationThread'\n    filter_optional_aurora_2:\n        SourceImage|contains: 'unknown process'\n    filter_optional_vmtoolsd:\n        SourceImage: 'C:\\Program Files\\VMware\\VMware Tools\\vmtoolsd.exe'\n        StartFunction: 'GetCommandLineW'\n        TargetImage:\n            - 'C:\\Windows\\System32\\notepad.exe'\n            - 'C:\\Windows\\System32\\spoolsv.exe'\n    filter_optional_xerox_pjems:\n        SourceImage: 'C:\\Program Files\\Xerox\\XeroxPrintExperience\\CommonFiles\\XeroxPrintJobEventManagerService.exe'\n        StartFunction: 'LoadLibraryW'\n        TargetImage: 'C:\\Windows\\System32\\spoolsv.exe'\n    condition: selection and not 1 of filter_main_* and not 1 of filter_optional_*\nfalsepositives:\n    - Unknown\nlevel: medium\n","validation":"yaml_parsed_not_backend_compiled_or_live_validated","techniques":[{"key":"enterprise/T1055.003","id":"T1055.003","name":"Thread Execution Hijacking","page":"techniques/enterprise/T1055.003/"}],"data_path":"data/detection-rules/a1a144b7-5c9b-4853-a559-2172be8d4a03.json","kind":"sigma"}