
Summary
This detection rule aims to identify potential bypasses of User Account Control (UAC) using the Microsoft Connection Manager Profile Installer (cmstp.exe). This technique typically involves an attacker executing the cmstp.exe command-line tool to run specially crafted local .INF files that can manipulate system settings or programs without proper elevation, thus circumventing UAC. Specific command-line parameters such as '/s', '-s', '/au', '-au', '/ni', and '-ni' indicate an attempt to use this technique, suggesting that the tool might be leveraged for privilege escalation or evasion of defenses on a Windows system. The rule looks for process creation events where the image name ends with 'cmstp.exe' and checks the command-line arguments for the presence of specified flags. This enables the monitoring of potentially malicious activities associated with UAC bypass attempts, giving administrators the opportunity to respond to unauthorized activities.
Categories
- Windows
- Endpoint
Data Sources
- Process
ATT&CK Techniques
- T1218.003
Created: 2019-10-24