HackTool - Windows Credential Editor (WCE) Execution — Sigma Rule

Rule metadata and linked tags

Author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems). Source status: test; severity: critical. Source dates: 2019-12-31 / 2025-10-21.

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

Pinned original Sigma rule · Detection Rule License 1.1

Source SHA-256: 9524ba6de84a8e5706f2ee8b347df6b934e71d8da9da15e61f7f2ec52dc4b805

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: HackTool - Windows Credential Editor (WCE) Execution
id: 7aa7009a-28b9-4344-8c1f-159489a390df
status: test
description: |
    Detects the use of Windows Credential Editor (WCE), a popular post-exploitation tool used to extract plaintext passwords, hash, PIN code and Kerberos tickets from memory.
    It is often used by threat actors for credential dumping and lateral movement within compromised networks.
references:
    - https://www.ampliasecurity.com/research/windows-credentials-editor/
author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems)
date: 2019-12-31
modified: 2025-10-21
tags:
    - attack.credential-access
    - attack.t1003.001
    - attack.s0005
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection_img:
        Image|endswith:
            - '\WCE.exe'
            - '\WCE64.exe'
    selection_hash:
        Hashes|contains:
            - 'IMPHASH=136F0A8572C058A96436C82E541E4C41'
            - 'IMPHASH=589657C64DDE88533186C39F82FA1F50'
            - 'IMPHASH=6BFE09EFCB4FFDE061EBDBAFC4DB84CF'
            - 'IMPHASH=7D490037BF450877E6D0287BDCFF8D2E'
            - 'IMPHASH=8AB93B061287C79F3088C5BC7E7D97ED'
            - 'IMPHASH=A53A02B997935FD8EEDCB5F7ABAB9B9F'
            - 'IMPHASH=BA434A7A729EEC20E136CA4C32D6C740'
            - 'IMPHASH=BD1D1547DA13C0FCB6C15E86217D5EB8'
            - 'IMPHASH=E96A73C7BF33A464C510EDE582318BF2'
    condition: 1 of selection_*
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: critical

Original YAML and metadata in JSON

False positives

• Unknown

Source references

• https://www.ampliasecurity.com/research/windows-credentials-editor/