Sigma rule: PUA - Kernel Driver Utility (KDU) Execution

Rule

Title

PUA - Kernel Driver Utility (KDU) Execution

Status

experimental

Level

high

Author

Matt Anderson, Dray Agha, Anna Pham (Huntress)

Date

2026-01-02

File

rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_pua_kdu_driver_tool.yml

Commit

ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects execution of the Kernel Driver Utility (KDU) tool.
KDU can be used to bypass driver signature enforcement and load unsigned or malicious drivers into the Windows kernel.
Potentially allowing for privilege escalation, persistence, or evasion of security controls.

Log source

product

windows

category

process_creation

Detection

selection_img:
    - Image|endswith:
          - '\kdu.exe'
          - '\hamakaze.exe'
    - OriginalFileName: 'hamakaze.exe'
selection_cli_suspicious:
    CommandLine|contains:
        - '-map ' # map driver to the kernel and execute it entry point
        - '-prv ' # optional, select vulnerability driver provider
        - '-dse ' # write user defined value to the system DSE state flags; dse=0(disable),dse=1(enable)
        - '-ps ' #  modify process object of given ProcessID;
condition: all of selection_*

False positives (as the rule lists them)

• Legitimate driver development, testing, or administrative troubleshooting (e.g., enabling/disabling hardware)

Tags

• attack.persistence
• attack.privilege-escalation
• attack.t1543.003

MITRE ATT&CK ids this rule names

• T1543.003

References

• https://github.com/h4rmy/KDU
• https://huntress.com/blog/esxi-vm-escape-exploit

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_pua_kdu_driver_tool.yml