CMSTP Execution Process Access — Sigma Rule

Rule metadata and linked tags

Author: Nik Seetharaman. Source status: stable; severity: high. Source dates: 2018-07-16 / 2021-06-27.

{
  "product": "windows",
  "category": "process_access"
}

Pinned original Sigma rule · Detection Rule License 1.1

Source SHA-256: e84194eab91ba72d5ee9ba417037ba6d01fe9277df19ab475b98ea85bf78a856

Detection logic

Original source YAML. Source-tag agreement is not proof of complete semantic coverage. This rule has not been compiled for a SIEM backend or validated against live telemetry here.

title: CMSTP Execution Process Access
id: 3b4b232a-af90-427c-a22f-30b0c0837b95
status: stable
description: Detects various indicators of Microsoft Connection Manager Profile Installer execution
references:
    - https://web.archive.org/web/20190720093911/http://www.endurant.io/cmstp/detecting-cmstp-enabled-code-execution-and-uac-bypass-with-sysmon/
author: Nik Seetharaman
date: 2018-07-16
modified: 2021-06-27
tags:
    - attack.stealth
    - attack.t1218.003
    - attack.execution
    - attack.t1559.001
    - attack.g0069
    - attack.g0080
    - car.2019-04-001
logsource:
    product: windows
    category: process_access
detection:
    # Process Access Call Trace
    selection:
        CallTrace|contains: 'cmlua.dll'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate CMSTP use (unlikely in modern enterprise environments)
level: high

Original YAML and metadata in JSON

False positives

• Legitimate CMSTP use (unlikely in modern enterprise environments)

Source references

• https://web.archive.org/web/20190720093911/http://www.endurant.io/cmstp/detecting-cmstp-enabled-code-execution-and-uac-bypass-with-sysmon/