Process Explorer Driver Creation By Non-Sysinternals Binary
Detects creation of the Process Explorer drivers by processes other than Process Explorer (procexp) itself. Hack tools or malware may use the Process Explorer driver to elevate privileges, drops it to disk for a few moments, runs a service using that driver and removes it afterwards.
Detection logic
selection
TargetFilename|contains: \PROCEXP
TargetFilename|endswith: .sysfilter_main_process_explorer
Image|endswith:
- \procexp.exe
- \procexp64.exe
- \procexp64a.exeCondition
selection and not 1 of filter_main_*Raw YAML
title: Process Explorer Driver Creation By Non-Sysinternals Binary
id: de46c52b-0bf8-4936-a327-aace94f94ac6
status: test
description: |
Detects creation of the Process Explorer drivers by processes other than Process Explorer (procexp) itself.
Hack tools or malware may use the Process Explorer driver to elevate privileges, drops it to disk for a few moments, runs a service using that driver and removes it afterwards.
references:
- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/process-explorer
- https://github.com/Yaxser/Backstab
- https://www.elastic.co/security-labs/stopping-vulnerable-driver-attacks
- https://news.sophos.com/en-us/2023/04/19/aukill-edr-killer-malware-abuses-process-explorer-driver/
author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems)
date: 2023-05-05
modified: 2026-06-29
tags:
- attack.persistence
- attack.privilege-escalation
- attack.t1068
logsource:
product: windows
category: file_event
detection:
selection:
TargetFilename|contains: '\PROCEXP'
TargetFilename|endswith: '.sys'
filter_main_process_explorer:
Image|endswith:
- '\procexp.exe'
- '\procexp64.exe'
- '\procexp64a.exe'
condition: selection and not 1 of filter_main_*
falsepositives:
- Some false positives may occur with legitimate renamed process explorer binaries
level: highFalse positives
- Some false positives may occur with legitimate renamed process explorer binaries