gpupdate.exe

  • File Path: C:\Windows\system32\gpupdate.exe
  • Description: Microsoft Group Policy Update Utility

Hashes

Type Hash
MD5 5BC3021BF9F2787FA17442B68739755E
SHA1 06943844B2CA59FD66682E8C787A8A1D0CFEAABD
SHA256 91FFAB6770BCF42F25B8674FE8C0DF039D31B15D6A84616DFE839786F9088931
SHA384 745619E7DC39E6492C818A9DACB0FB383EE0854BC450F7C78270DB832118431603063A83520268EA911B5AE12BD24D0C
SHA512 43634D4CE1C5C18E7878F1575B73325C53A3788118EA9B551675E9E42D878AA5D1E4A31E39C68A7F589424F7A169000FA1E9557C679C2872DC97EC0C75248FF8
SSDEEP 384:lF5l1KanBYPcjU+i2Hfn9tt2gk1dV+3A1zm7OeROn5l2R/WoD/fEh4YkeLQYSWF8:l/KaB2cjMd03y5l0HMh4cLQYV

Runtime Data

Usage (stdout):

Description:  Updates multiple Group Policy settings.

Syntax:  Gpupdate [/Target:{Computer | User}] [/Force] [/Wait:<value>]
     [/Logoff] [/Boot] [/Sync] 

Parameters:

Value                      Description
/Target:{Computer | User}  Specifies that only User or only Computer
                            policy settings are updated. By default,
                            both User and Computer policy settings are
                            updated.

/Force                     Reapplies all policy settings. By default,
                            only policy settings that have changed are
                            applied.

/Wait:{value}              Sets the number of seconds to wait for policy
                            processing to finish. The default is 600
                            seconds. The value '0' means not to wait.
                            The value '-1' means to wait indefinitely.
                            When the time limit is exceeded, the command
                            prompt returns, but policy processing
                            continues.

/Logoff                    Causes a logoff after the Group Policy settings
                            have been updated. This is required for
                            those Group Policy client-side extensions
                            that do not process policy on a background
                            update cycle but do process policy when a
                            user logs on. Examples include user-targeted
                            Software Installation and Folder Redirection.
                            This option has no effect if there are no
                            extensions called that require a logoff.

/Boot                      Causes a computer restart after the Group Policy settings
                            are applied. This is required for those
                            Group Policy client-side extensions that do
                            not process policy on a background update cycle
                            but do process policy at computer startup.
                            Examples include computer-targeted Software
                            Installation. This option has no effect if
                            there are no extensions called that require
                            a restart.

/Sync                      Causes the next foreground policy application to
                            be done synchronously. Foreground policy
                            applications occur at computer start up and user
                            logon. You can specify this for the user,
                            computer or both using the /Target parameter.
                            The /Force and /Wait parameters will be ignored
                            if specified.


Loaded Modules:

Path
C:\Windows\system32\gpupdate.exe
C:\Windows\System32\KERNEL32.DLL
C:\Windows\System32\KERNELBASE.dll
C:\Windows\SYSTEM32\ntdll.dll

Signature

  • Status: Signature verified.
  • Serial: 33000001C422B2F79B793DACB20000000001C4
  • Thumbprint: AE9C1AE54763822EEC42474983D8B635116C8452
  • 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: GPUpdate.exe.mui
  • Product Name: Microsoft Windows Operating System
  • Company Name: Microsoft Corporation
  • File Version: 10.0.17763.1 (WinBuild.160101.0800)
  • Product Version: 10.0.17763.1
  • Language: English (United States)
  • Legal Copyright: Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

File Similarity (ssdeep match)

File Score
C:\Windows\system32\gpupdate.exe 27
C:\Windows\system32\gpupdate.exe 25
C:\WINDOWS\system32\gpupdate.exe 44
C:\WINDOWS\system32\gpupdate.exe 25
C:\Windows\system32\gpupdate.exe 30

Possible Misuse

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

Source Source File Example License
sigma sysmon_suspicious_remote_thread.yml - '\gpupdate.exe' DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_susp_spoolsv_child_processes.yml - \gpupdate.exe DRL 1.0

Additional Info*

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


gpupdate

Updates Group Policy settings.

Syntax

gpupdate [/target:{computer | user}] [/force] [/wait:<VALUE>] [/logoff] [/boot] [/sync] [/?]

Parameters

Parameter Description
/target:{computer|user} Specifies that only User or only Computer policy settings are updated. By default, both User and Computer policy settings are updated.
/force Reapplies all policy settings. By default, only policy settings that have changed are applied.
/wait:<VALUE> Sets the number of seconds to wait for policy processing to finish before returning to the command prompt. When the time limit is exceeded, the command prompt appears, but policy processing continues. The default value is 600 seconds. The value 0 means not to wait. The value -1 means to wait indefinitely.<p>In a script, by using this command with a time limit specified, you can run gpupdate and continue with commands that do not depend upon the completion of gpupdate. Alternatively, you can use this command with no time limit specified to let gpupdate finish running before other commands that depend on it are run.
/logoff Causes a logoff after the Group Policy settings are updated. This is required for those Group Policy client-side extensions that do not process policy on a background update cycle but do process policy when a user logs on. Examples include user-targeted Software Installation and Folder Redirection. This option has no effect if there are no extensions called that require a logoff.
/boot Causes a computer restart after the Group Policy settings are applied. This is required for those Group Policy client-side extensions that do not process policy on a background update cycle but do process policy at computer startup. Examples include computer-targeted Software Installation. This option has no effect if there are no extensions called that require a restart.
/sync Causes the next foreground policy application to be done synchronously. Foreground policy is applied at computer boot and user logon. You can specify this for the user, computer, or both, by using the /target parameter. The /force and /wait parameters are ignored if you specify them.
/? Displays Help at the command prompt.

Examples

To force a background update of all Group Policy settings, regardless of whether they’ve changed, type:

gpupdate /force

Additional References


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