mstsc.exe

  • File Path: C:\Windows\system32\mstsc.exe
  • Description: Remote Desktop Connection

Screenshot

mstsc.exe mstsc.exe mstsc.exe

Hashes

Type Hash
MD5 7F7D1971CFF5E9D15F33E8582E7E84FE
SHA1 19E960506C281EAEC4CB2986C07DC4B9812CDDC6
SHA256 5CE2BE81382FE4D759F0C4389972FBF508F5E9C8F06AAFA7333244006F5F2CBA
SHA384 4BAD8C76028ACC6A32124C49C1B657E670FA70284F3276494C6F72B2062DF5E1879A7FFE501140CA00E9E25F44D4CD01
SHA512 4A7CC87CB36E806DCAFAD72FF13C36B3F4538EB24B510C4545A310EA191637062007936332239E56963338AC94C70FF5F30CC25A8F9C20FA69EB1911824F77F0
SSDEEP 24576:aaynVLSkeJ7Et1vk61L873eor9GLiP8jGQhNhaDigqKSdxClrell1r3MJ6W2LVrM:DsVLSkeJ7Et1vk61LO3e+9HP8jGQhNhA
IMP 8ED9FD7812149E8C5396DE875FB2685E
PESHA1 110337C7D4D9C4897E33CF3BF21E80B7EE3C2117
PE256 163E4111903887A5B7A53696605C79FDC3129B78D09F690755279337BDE176BD

Signature

  • Status: Signature verified.
  • Serial: 3300000266BD1580EFA75CD6D3000000000266
  • Thumbprint: A4341B9FD50FB9964283220A36A1EF6F6FAA7840
  • 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: mstsc.exe.mui
  • Product Name: Microsoft Windows Operating System
  • Company Name: Microsoft Corporation
  • File Version: 10.0.19041.1 (WinBuild.160101.0800)
  • Product Version: 10.0.19041.1
  • Language: English (United States)
  • Legal Copyright: Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
  • Machine Type: 64-bit

File Scan

  • VirusTotal Detections: 0/75
  • VirusTotal Link: https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/5ce2be81382fe4d759f0c4389972fbf508f5e9c8f06aafa7333244006f5f2cba/detection

Possible Misuse

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

Source Source File Example License
sigma file_event_win_tsclient_filewrite_startup.yml Image\|endswith: '\mstsc.exe' DRL 1.0
sigma net_connection_win_susp_rdp.yml - '\mstsc.exe' DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_mimikatz_command_line.yml - 'mstsc' #ts module DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_mstsc.yml title: Remote Desktop Protocol Use Mstsc DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_mstsc.yml - https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/mstsc DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_mstsc.yml Image\|endswith: \mstsc.exe DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_rdp_hijack_shadowing.yml title: MSTSC Shadowing DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_rdp_hijack_shadowing.yml description: Detects RDP session hijacking by using MSTSC shadowing DRL 1.0
sigma registry_event_mstsc_history_cleared.yml description: Detects the deletion of registry keys containing the MSTSC connection history DRL 1.0
atomic-red-team T1021.001.md mstsc /v:$Server MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team T1021.001.md $p=Tasklist /svc /fi “IMAGENAME eq mstsc.exe” /fo csv | convertfrom-csv MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
signature-base cn_pentestset_tools.yar $s1 = “srv\newclient\lib\win32\obj\i386\mstsc.pdb” fullword ascii CC BY-NC 4.0
signature-base crime_cn_campaign_njrat.yar $a2 = “taskkill /f /im mstsc.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.


mstsc

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

Creates connections to Remote Desktop Session Host servers or other remote computers, edits an existing Remote Desktop Connection (.rdp) configuration file, and migrates legacy connection files that were created with Client Connection Manager to new .rdp connection files.

Syntax

mstsc.exe [<connectionfile>] [/v:<server>[:<port>]] [/admin] [/f] [/w:<width> /h:<height>] [/public] [/span]
mstsc.exe /edit <connectionfile>
mstsc.exe /migrate

Parameters

Parameter Description
<connectionfile> Specifies the name of an .rdp file for the connection.
/v:<server>[:<port>] Specifies the remote computer and, optionally, the port number to which you want to connect.
/admin Connects you to a session for administering the server.
/f Starts Remote Desktop Connection in full-screen mode.
/w:<width> Specifies the width of the Remote Desktop window.
/h:<height> Specifies the height of the Remote Desktop window.
/public Runs Remote Desktop in public mode. In public mode, passwords and bitmaps aren’t cached.
/span Matches the Remote Desktop width and height with the local virtual desktop, spanning across multiple monitors if necessary.
/edit <connectionfile> Opens the specified .rdp file for editing.
/migrate Migrates legacy connection files that were created with Client Connection Manager to new .rdp connection files.
/? Displays help at the command prompt.
Remarks
  • Default.rdp is stored for each user as a hidden file in the user’s Documents folder.

  • User created .rdp files are saved by default in the user’s Documents folder, but can be saved anywhere.

  • To span across monitors, the monitors must use the same resolution and must be aligned horizontally (that is, side-by-side). There is currently no support for spanning multiple monitors vertically on the client system.

Examples

To connect to a session in full-screen mode, type:

mstsc /f

or

mstsc /v:computer1 /f

To assign width/height, type:

mstsc /v:computer1 /w:1920 /h:1080

To open a file called filename.rdp for editing, type:

mstsc /edit filename.rdp

Additional References


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