mmc.exe

  • File Path: C:\WINDOWS\system32\mmc.exe
  • Description: Microsoft Management Console

Screenshot

mmc.exe mmc.exe

Hashes

Type Hash
MD5 2D1C151D6FA67CAF0DE803E575EDC97F
SHA1 8CE3A4B4DF002EBDF13F6D26C2A25A33FB04FD20
SHA256 AD93F7968CB25B46BBC0F95F0F825748F28DC839CE902AA2EAB797282B5D212E
SHA384 C9C70CC97489A29255F2667C89E1F8550DC12ED2879CE675C1F40C3CBF5AC0032397522F21CC53579DE30A8C31A8037A
SHA512 E8C3E204A986DEDE5F660570F5971E30467E913E9554C167D859FBBF00509EC30EEBF573BF752037DED6B7EE71286CC652C01704567FB44A81627E5EDAC49C7D
SSDEEP 49152:NZ5i22kIMkaXz1so17i5AARVNP7ntX2UXMK4ZL7cy4BQQmZHrWEwlQ8+vgBA7e7z:Ol5m7e7DH
IMP CF7B1B9D104403A85760F1F8E6E7F61B
PESHA1 6111D96F3F0B32636B99BCB20AD09E44414776C1
PE256 E233A615DECE19E6329F8861A3E971C7A45BC2DE074B3C150BE9078BBDCEE3F5

Runtime Data

Window Title:

Console1 - [Console Root]

Open Handles:

Path Type
(R-D) C:\Windows\Fonts\StaticCache.dat File
(R-D) C:\Windows\System32\en-US\MFC42u.dll.mui File
(R-D) C:\Windows\System32\en-US\mmc.exe.mui File
(R-D) C:\Windows\System32\en-US\mmcbase.dll.mui File
(R-D) C:\Windows\System32\en-US\mmcndmgr.dll.mui File
(R-D) C:\Windows\System32\en-US\user32.dll.mui File
(R-D) C:\Windows\SystemResources\mmcbase.dll.mun File
(R-D) C:\Windows\SystemResources\mmcndmgr.dll.mun File
(RW-) C:\Windows\System32 File
(RW-) C:\Windows\WinSxS\amd64_microsoft.windows.common-controls_6595b64144ccf1df_5.82.22000.1_none_271a8fad6a2d1b1e File
(RW-) C:\Windows\WinSxS\amd64_microsoft.windows.common-controls_6595b64144ccf1df_6.0.22000.120_none_9d947278b86cc467 File
\BaseNamedObjects__ComCatalogCache__ Section
\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\2530HWNDInterface:b095c Section
\Sessions\2\BaseNamedObjects\2530HWNDInterface:c095e 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\BaseNamedObjects\SessionImmersiveColorPreference Section
\Sessions\2\BaseNamedObjects\windows_shell_global_counters Section
\Sessions\2\Windows\Theme1077709572 Section
\Windows\Theme3461253685 Section

Loaded Modules:

Path
C:\WINDOWS\System32\KERNEL32.DLL
C:\WINDOWS\System32\KERNELBASE.dll
C:\WINDOWS\system32\mmc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\ntdll.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: mmc.exe.mui
  • Product Name: Microsoft Windows Operating System
  • Company Name: Microsoft Corporation
  • File Version: 10.0.22000.1 (WinBuild.160101.0800)
  • Product Version: 10.0.22000.1
  • 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/ad93f7968cb25b46bbc0f95f0f825748f28dc839ce902aa2eab797282b5d212e/detection

Possible Misuse

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

Source Source File Example License
sigma win_user_driver_loaded.yml - '\Windows\System32\mmc.exe' DRL 1.0
sigma file_event_win_susp_adsi_cache_usage.yml - 'C:\windows\system32\mmc.exe' DRL 1.0
sigma file_event_win_uac_bypass_dotnet_profiler.yml description: Detects the pattern of UAC Bypass using .NET Code Profiler and mmc.exe DLL hijacking (UACMe 39) DRL 1.0
sigma pipe_created_susp_adfs_namedpipe_connection.yml - '\mmc.exe' DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_impacket_lateralization.yml # parent is mmc.exe DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_impacket_lateralization.yml - '\mmc.exe' # dcomexec MMC DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_mmc20_lateral_movement.yml description: Detects MMC20.Application Lateral Movement; specifically looks for the spawning of the parent MMC.exe with a command line of "-Embedding" as a child of svchost.exe DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_mmc20_lateral_movement.yml Image\|endswith: '\mmc.exe' DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_mmc_spawn_shell.yml ParentImage\|endswith: '\mmc.exe' DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_susp_taskmgr_parent.yml - '\mmc.exe' DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_sysmon_uac_bypass_eventvwr.yml Image\|endswith: '\mmc.exe' DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_uac_bypass_wmp.yml ParentCommandLine: '"C:\Windows\system32\mmc.exe" "C:\Windows\system32\eventvwr.msc" /s' DRL 1.0
sigma registry_event_bypass_uac_using_eventviewer.yml Details: '%SystemRoot%\system32\mmc.exe "%1" %*' DRL 1.0
LOLBAS Eventvwr.yml Description: During startup, eventvwr.exe checks the registry value HKCU\Software\Classes\mscfile\shell\open\command for the location of mmc.exe, which is used to open the eventvwr.msc saved console file. If the location of another binary or script is added to this registry value, it will be executed as a high-integrity process without a UAC prompt being displayed to the user.  
LOLBAS Eventvwr.yml - IOC: eventvwr.exe launching child process other than mmc.exe  
LOLBAS Mmc.yml Name: Mmc.exe  
LOLBAS Mmc.yml - Command: mmc.exe -Embedding c:\path\to\test.msc  
LOLBAS Mmc.yml - Command: mmc.exe gpedit.msc  
LOLBAS Mmc.yml - Path: C:\Windows\System32\mmc.exe  
LOLBAS Mmc.yml - Path: C:\Windows\SysWOW64\mmc.exe  
LOLBAS Wsreset.yml - IOC: wsreset.exe launching child process other than mmc.exe  
malware-ioc nukesped_lazarus .mmc.exe``{:.highlight .language-cmhg} © ESET 2014-2018
atomic-red-team T1548.002.md copy “#{executable_binary}” “\?\C:\Windows \System32\mmc.exe” MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team T1548.002.md mklink c:\testbypass.exe “\?\C:\Windows \System32\mmc.exe” MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team T1548.002.md Target: \system32\mmc.exe MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team T1574.012.md START MMC.EXE EVENTVWR.MSC MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
signature-base crime_cn_campaign_njrat.yar $a5 = “taskkill /f /im mmc.exe” fullword ascii CC BY-NC 4.0

Additional Info*

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

mmc

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

Using mmc command-line options, you can open a specific mmc console, open mmc in author mode, or specify that the 32-bit or 64-bit version of mmc is opened.

Syntax

mmc <path>\<filename>.msc [/a] [/64] [/32]

Parameters

Parameter Description
<path>\<filename>.msc starts mmc and opens a saved console. You need to specify the complete path and file name for the saved console file. If you do not specify a console file, mmc opens a new console.
/a Opens a saved console in author mode. Used to make changes to saved consoles.
/64 Opens the 64-bit version of mmc (mmc64). Use this option only if you are running a Microsoft 64-bit operating system and want to use a 64-bit snap-in.
/32 Opens the 32-bit version of mmc (mmc32). When running a Microsoft 64-bit operating system, you can run 32-bit snap-ins by opening mmc with this command-line option when you have 32-bit only snap-ins.

Remarks

  • You can use environment variables to create command lines or shortcuts that don’t depend on the explicit location of console files. For instance, if the path to a console file is in the system folder (for example, mmc c:\winnt\system32\console_name.msc), you can use the expandable data string %systemroot% to specify the location (mmc%systemroot%\system32\console_name.msc). This may be useful if you’re delegating tasks to people in your organization who are working on different computers.

  • When consoles are opened using the /a option, they’re opened in author mode, regardless of their default mode. This doesn’t permanently change the default mode setting for files; when you omit this option, mmc opens console files according to their default mode settings.

  • After you open mmc or a console file in author mode, you can open any existing console by clicking Open on the Console menu.

  • You can use the command line to create shortcuts for opening mmc and saved consoles. A command-line command works with the Run command on the Start menu, in any command-prompt window, in shortcuts, or in any batch file or program that calls the command.

Additional References

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