New Service Creation Using Sc.EXE

Hunt Hypothesis

Detects the creation of a new service using the “sc.exe” utility.

Detection Rule

Sigma (Original)

title: New Service Creation Using Sc.EXE
id: 85ff530b-261d-48c6-a441-facaa2e81e48
related:
    - id: c02e96b7-c63a-4c47-bd83-4a9f74afcfb2 # Using PowerShell
      type: similar
status: test
description: Detects the creation of a new service using the "sc.exe" utility.
references:
    - https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1543.003/T1543.003.md
author: Timur Zinniatullin, Daniil Yugoslavskiy, oscd.community
date: 2023-02-20
modified: 2025-09-01
tags:
    - attack.persistence
    - attack.privilege-escalation
    - attack.t1543.003
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection:
        Image|endswith: '\sc.exe'
        CommandLine|contains|all:
            - 'create'
            - 'binPath'
    filter_optional_dropbox:
        ParentImage|startswith:
            - 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Dropbox\Client\'
            - 'C:\Program Files\Dropbox\Client\'
        ParentImage|endswith: '\Dropbox.exe'
    condition: selection and not 1 of filter_optional_*
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate administrator or user creates a service for legitimate reasons.
    - Software installation
level: low

KQL (Azure Sentinel)

imProcessCreate
| where (TargetProcessName endswith "\\sc.exe" and (TargetProcessCommandLine contains "create" and TargetProcessCommandLine contains "binPath")) and (not((((ParentProcessName startswith "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Dropbox\\Client\\" or ParentProcessName startswith "C:\\Program Files\\Dropbox\\Client\\") or (ActingProcessName startswith "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Dropbox\\Client\\" or ActingProcessName startswith "C:\\Program Files\\Dropbox\\Client\\")) and (ParentProcessName endswith "\\Dropbox.exe" or ActingProcessName endswith "\\Dropbox.exe"))))

Required Data Sources

False Positive Guidance

• Legitimate administrator or user creates a service for legitimate reasons.
• Software installation

MITRE ATT&CK Context

• Tactic: Persistence
• Tactic: Privilege Escalation
• Technique: T1543.003 — T1543.003

References

• https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1543.003/T1543.003.md
• SigmaHQ Rule