runas.exe

  • File Path: C:\windows\SysWOW64\runas.exe
  • Description: Run As Utility

Hashes

Type Hash
MD5 D3193FDF69267413CAD00712891C3D6E
SHA1 B8AD4D56FE58BBAD5E5DFFFD44E8C9F259959680
SHA256 D935670B38C64DE5076C5530FCBA6599922519629C9E647369D5B8D848434A7D
SHA384 D3F78AA20ED59A032641BC2C8A6D31AB9CA53F8F65373AB4661CD1DA68254F7E37FF5B333EAA3573FDBA9D914BAFEA04
SHA512 9297B0E7DE1851172E503D08079B991D61B248681C621A2000A69C65C152640ADD4EBE0D4ABCE628063CF537483BF16DF9641D838C1AF4BE444FD5F3FF129A90
SSDEEP 192:6Og41kWvmw5cv0u307RndSXggMzfTXJ8+DV1pO+903oKktWIOW:6OgRWuw2/E7RngX/MX1V1cGtWIOW

Signature

  • Status: The file C:\windows\SysWOW64\runas.exe is not digitally signed. You cannot run this script on the current system. For more information about running scripts and setting execution policy, see about_Execution_Policies at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=135170
  • Serial: ``
  • Thumbprint: ``
  • Issuer:
  • Subject:

File Metadata

  • Original Filename: RUNAS.EXE.MUI
  • Product Name: Microsoft Windows Operating System
  • Company Name: Microsoft Corporation
  • File Version: 6.3.9600.16384 (winblue_rtm.130821-1623)
  • Product Version: 6.3.9600.16384
  • Language: English (United States)
  • Legal Copyright: Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Possible Misuse

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

Source Source File Example License
sigma win_overpass_the_hash.yml - Runas command-line tool using /netonly parameter DRL 1.0
sigma win_susp_logon_explicit_credentials.yml - Administrators that use the RunAS command or scheduled tasks DRL 1.0
sigma file_event_win_powershell_exploit_scripts.yml - '\Invoke-RunAs.ps1' DRL 1.0
sigma posh_ps_malicious_commandlets.yml - 'Invoke-RunAs' DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_multiple_suspicious_cli.yml - runas.exe DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_susp_advancedrun.yml - ' /RunAs ' DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_susp_advancedrun_priv_user.yml title: Suspicious AdvancedRun Runas Priv User DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_susp_advancedrun_priv_user.yml - ' /RunAs 8 ' DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_susp_advancedrun_priv_user.yml - ' /RunAs 4 ' DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_susp_advancedrun_priv_user.yml - '/RunAs 8' DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_susp_advancedrun_priv_user.yml - '/RunAs 4' DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_susp_script_exec_from_temp.yml - '-WindowStyle hidden -Verb runAs' # VSCode behaviour if file cannot be written as current user DRL 1.0
sigma registry_event_uac_bypass_sdclt.yml TargetObject\|endswith: Software\Classes\exefile\shell\runas\command\isolatedCommand DRL 1.0
malware-ioc misp_invisimole.json "description": "Windows uses access tokens to determine the ownership of a running process. A user can manipulate access tokens to make a running process appear as though it belongs to someone other than the user that started the process. When this occurs, the process also takes on the security context associated with the new token. For example, Microsoft promotes the use of access tokens as a security best practice. Administrators should log in as a standard user but run their tools with administrator privileges using the built-in access token manipulation command <code>runas</code>.(Citation: Microsoft runas)\n \nAdversaries may use access tokens to operate under a different user or system security context to perform actions and evade detection. An adversary can use built-in Windows API functions to copy access tokens from existing processes; this is known as token stealing. An adversary must already be in a privileged user context (i.e. administrator) to steal a token. However, adversaries commonly use token stealing to elevate their security context from the administrator level to the SYSTEM level. An adversary can use a token to authenticate to a remote system as the account for that token if the account has appropriate permissions on the remote system.(Citation: Pentestlab Token Manipulation)\n\nAccess tokens can be leveraged by adversaries through three methods:(Citation: BlackHat Atkinson Winchester Token Manipulation)\n\n**Token Impersonation/Theft** - An adversary creates a new access token that duplicates an existing token using <code>DuplicateToken(Ex)</code>. The token can then be used with <code>ImpersonateLoggedOnUser</code> to allow the calling thread to impersonate a logged on user's security context, or with <code>SetThreadToken</code> to assign the impersonated token to a thread. This is useful for when the target user has a non-network logon session on the system.\n\n**Create Process with a Token** - An adversary creates a new access token with <code>DuplicateToken(Ex)</code> and uses it with <code>CreateProcessWithTokenW</code> to create a new process running under the security context of the impersonated user. This is useful for creating a new process under the security context of a different user.\n\n**Make and Impersonate Token** - An adversary has a username and password but the user is not logged onto the system. The adversary can then create a logon session for the user using the <code>LogonUser</code> function. The function will return a copy of the new session's access token and the adversary can use <code>SetThreadToken</code> to assign the token to a thread.\n\nAny standard user can use the <code>runas</code> command, and the Windows API functions, to create impersonation tokens; it does not require access to an administrator account.\n\nMetasploit’s Meterpreter payload allows arbitrary token manipulation and uses token impersonation to escalate privileges.(Citation: Metasploit access token) The Cobalt Strike beacon payload allows arbitrary token impersonation and can also create tokens. (Citation: Cobalt Strike Access Token)", © ESET 2014-2018
malware-ioc rtm lpe-runas-flags © ESET 2014-2018
malware-ioc rtm runas © ESET 2014-2018
atomic-red-team T1207.md $dc = Start-Process -FilePath cmd.exe -Verb Runas -ArgumentList “/c #{psexec_path} /accepteula -d -s #{mimikatz_path} $mimikatzParam” MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team T1558.001.md # create batch file with commands to run in a separate “runas /netonly” session MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team T1558.001.md # its output goes to golden.txt temp file, because we cannot capture “runas /netonly” output otherwise MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team T1558.001.md echo “foo” | runas /netonly /user:fake “$env:TEMP\golden.bat” | Out-Null MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team T1588.002.md #{local_folder}#{local_executable} /EXEFilename “C:\Windows\System32\sc.exe” /WindowState 0 /CommandLine “stop WinDefend” /StartDirectory “” /RunAs 8 /Run MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team T1588.002.md #{local_folder}#{local_executable} “C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe” /WindowState 0 /CommandLine “rmdir ‘C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows Defender’ -Recurse” /StartDirectory “” /RunAs 8 /Run MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
signature-base apt_between-hk-and-burma.yar $file8 = “\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\runas.exe” CC BY-NC 4.0
signature-base exploit_uac_elevators.yar $s2 = “runas” wide CC BY-NC 4.0

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