Sigma rule: Always Install Elevated Windows Installer

Rule

Title

Always Install Elevated Windows Installer

Status

test

Level

medium

Author

Teymur Kheirkhabarov (idea), Mangatas Tondang (rule), oscd.community

Date

2020-10-13

Modified

2024-12-01

File

rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_susp_always_install_elevated_windows_installer.yml

Commit

ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects Windows Installer service (msiexec.exe) trying to install MSI packages with SYSTEM privilege

Log source

product

windows

category

process_creation

Detection

selection_user:
    User|contains: # covers many language settings
        - 'AUTHORI'
        - 'AUTORI'
selection_image_1:
    Image|contains|all:
        - '\Windows\Installer\'
        - 'msi'
    Image|endswith: 'tmp'
selection_image_2:
    Image|endswith: '\msiexec.exe'
    IntegrityLevel:
        - 'System'
        - 'S-1-16-16384'
filter_installer:
    ParentImage: 'C:\Windows\System32\services.exe'
filter_repair:
    - CommandLine|endswith: '\system32\msiexec.exe /V' # ignore "repair option"
    - ParentCommandLine|endswith: '\system32\msiexec.exe /V' # ignore "repair option"
filter_sophos:
    ParentImage|startswith: 'C:\ProgramData\Sophos\'
filter_avira:
    ParentImage|startswith: 'C:\ProgramData\Avira\'
filter_avast:
    ParentImage|startswith:
        - 'C:\Program Files\Avast Software\'
        - 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Avast Software\'
filter_google_update:
    ParentImage|startswith:
        - 'C:\Program Files\Google\Update\'
        - 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Update\'
condition: 1 of selection_image_* and selection_user and not 1 of filter_*

False positives (as the rule lists them)

• System administrator usage
• Anti virus products
• WindowsApps located in "C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\"

Tags

• attack.privilege-escalation
• attack.t1548.002

MITRE ATT&CK ids this rule names

• T1548.002

References

• https://image.slidesharecdn.com/kheirkhabarovoffzonefinal-181117201458/95/hunting-for-privilege-escalation-in-windows-environment-48-638.jpg

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_susp_always_install_elevated_windows_installer.yml