Sigma rule: Potential Shim Database Persistence via Sdbinst.EXE

A detection rule from the SigmaHQ repository, shown as its author published it. Dataset version ref-d677b71ba866, updated 2023-12-06T00:00:00.000Z.

Rule

Title
Potential Shim Database Persistence via Sdbinst.EXE
Status
test
Level
medium
Author
Markus Neis
Date
2019-01-16
Modified
2023-12-06
File
rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_sdbinst_shim_persistence.yml
Commit
ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects installation of a new shim using sdbinst.exe.
Adversaries may establish persistence and/or elevate privileges by executing malicious content triggered by application shims

Log source

product
windows
category
process_creation

Detection

selection_img:
    - Image|endswith: '\sdbinst.exe'
    - OriginalFileName: 'sdbinst.exe'
selection_cli:
    CommandLine|contains: '.sdb'
filter_optional_iis:
    ParentImage|endswith: '\msiexec.exe'
    CommandLine|contains:
        # Expected behavior for IIS Express (e.g. https://www.hybrid-analysis.com/sample/15d4ff941f77f7bdfc9dfb2399b7b952a0a2c860976ef3e835998ff4796e5e91?environmentId=120)
        - ':\Program Files (x86)\IIS Express\iisexpressshim.sdb'
        - ':\Program Files\IIS Express\iisexpressshim.sdb'
condition: all of selection_* and not 1 of filter_optional_*

False positives (as the rule lists them)

  • Unknown

Tags

  • attack.persistence
  • attack.privilege-escalation
  • attack.t1546.011

MITRE ATT&CK ids this rule names

Related rules

References

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_sdbinst_shim_persistence.yml

Sources and licences

  • SigmaHQ

    "Potential Shim Database Persistence via Sdbinst.EXE" by Markus Neis (SigmaHQ). Rule: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_sdbinst_shim_persistence.yml.
    Licensed under the Detection Rule License (DRL) 1.1: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/Detection-Rule-License

    Detection Rule License (DRL) 1.1

Cite this page

Dragons Eye Ransomware Tracker, "Sigma rule: Potential Shim Database Persistence via Sdbinst.EXE",
entity page, dataset version ref-d677b71ba866, updated 2023-12-06T00:00:00.000Z,
https://ransomware-tracker.com/detections/sigma/517490a7-115a-48c6-8862-1a481504d5a8 (accessed 2026-11-03).
Underlying source: SigmaHQ rule 517490a7-115a-48c6-8862-1a481504d5a8, commit ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84.

Pages change. The dataset version identifies the data, but no archive of old versions is kept, so this citation cannot be replayed later.