Sigma rule: Rundll32 InstallScreenSaver Execution

Rule

Title

Rundll32 InstallScreenSaver Execution

Status

test

Level

medium

Author

Christopher Peacock @securepeacock, SCYTHE @scythe_io, TactiKoolSec

Date

2022-04-28

Modified

2023-02-09

File

rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_rundll32_installscreensaver.yml

Commit

ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

An attacker may execute an application as a SCR File using rundll32.exe desk.cpl,InstallScreenSaver

Log source

product

windows

category

process_creation

Detection

selection_img:
    - Image|endswith: '\rundll32.exe'
    - OriginalFileName: 'RUNDLL32.EXE'
selection_cli:
    CommandLine|contains: 'InstallScreenSaver'
condition: all of selection_*

False positives (as the rule lists them)

• Legitimate installation of a new screensaver

Tags

• attack.stealth
• attack.t1218.011

MITRE ATT&CK ids this rule names

• T1218.011

References

• https://lolbas-project.github.io/lolbas/Libraries/Desk/
• https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/0f229c0e42bfe7ca736a14023836d65baa941ed2/atomics/T1218.011/T1218.011.md#atomic-test-13---rundll32-with-deskcpl

Read on 2026-11-03T00:58:21.399Z under licence sigma-drl-1.1@d5f4c36a from https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_rundll32_installscreensaver.yml