mstsc.exe

  • File Path: C:\Windows\SysWOW64\mstsc.exe
  • Description: Remote Desktop Connection

Screenshot

mstsc.exe mstsc.exe mstsc.exe

Hashes

Type Hash
MD5 8E986D439CE87C13F6A40F38C6B494B2
SHA1 2921E4B1D8452A208331D1AE1D818D3103D6DEF7
SHA256 280F1F1B21D6A8A6607E43B66AE528B1EB80E187E2ED3FF954A046C9EB6A23C2
SHA384 997903A8FD1F8485424872DD6CDD774C3517222B936814ACA4AC763782367D645B2B574E2CA98BC0F565D8772223B662
SHA512 C886956A861B5E07F834F16C70853856C989CBAB55FA5E6E8437AC159C61FA1B419906D9DA954FBEB57F456043FBCA5955AB00C08783717AB8EB0C31E94F4283
SSDEEP 24576:rN0/uZQC57AknPDqr849hYeHmh9HunnB8bGGkN/2OotOFbLpwC5Krz7OikYv3hTa:CGZ/c31NOOqO9LpwCn0xfpMg1KLJ
IMP 58767D53A8B8A06E41CC8FE52FAD6560
PESHA1 48B01F1673E098C2BF7CF05B501C27015401FB98
PE256 521F423BE69CD2317DFDFEE8653DCE124890E50B2DEC932D158A751EB51BA939

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
  • Product Name: Microsoft Windows Operating System
  • Company Name: Microsoft Corporation
  • File Version: 10.0.17763.404 (WinBuild.160101.0800)
  • Product Version: 10.0.17763.404
  • Language: English (United States)
  • Legal Copyright: Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
  • Machine Type: 32-bit

File Scan

  • VirusTotal Detections: 0/68
  • VirusTotal Link: https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/280f1f1b21d6a8a6607e43b66ae528b1eb80e187e2ed3ff954a046c9eb6a23c2/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.