services.exe

  • File Path: C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
  • Description: Services and Controller app

Hashes

Type Hash
MD5 BCCC12EB2EF644E662A63A023FB83F9B
SHA1 86662690D627002D7CAB3285F7BE3E6D87B35CFB
SHA256 9090E0E44E14709FB09B23B98572E0E61C810189E2DE8F7156021BC81C3B1BB6
SHA384 E940EAD24D07929441D922D10184B2AA00444F7D08FB287E698C161F572738FA3945A9294B35D4B4BF27FFDF4477A23F
SHA512 5E8978695B943DAC7FB39B208ACF5C5BCEBB5242B4F405BBAF0B8F0E8710966357053B6D825430D81A6A1EC5FEA02F808E0274ED87EDD63F87941C0E9C15A419
SSDEEP 12288:sWoTwG6Nw4QMMzvrKTI218YODJSJDbYrbMxkU/iAlXIwAx8T:sWGwG6jQMMH0IvYODMhb0MrlXIwAx2

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: services.exe.mui
  • Product Name: Microsoft Windows Operating System
  • Company Name: Microsoft Corporation
  • File Version: 10.0.18362.1 (WinBuild.160101.0800)
  • Product Version: 10.0.18362.1
  • Language: English (United States)
  • Legal Copyright: Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Possible Misuse

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

Source Source File Example License
sigma file_event_win_creation_system_file.yml - '\services.exe' DRL 1.0
sigma image_load_wsman_provider_image_load.yml - 'C:\Windows\System32\services.exe' DRL 1.0
sigma proc_access_win_svchost_cred_dump.yml - '*\services.exe' DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_abusing_debug_privilege.yml - '\services.exe' DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_always_install_elevated_windows_installer.yml ParentImage: 'C:\Windows\System32\services.exe' DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_apt_hafnium.yml - '\services.exe' DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_hack_wce.yml ParentImage\|endswith: '\services.exe' DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_impacket_lateralization.yml # parent is services.exe DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_impacket_lateralization.yml - '\services.exe' # smbexec DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_meterpreter_or_cobaltstrike_getsystem_service_start.yml ParentImage\|endswith: '\services.exe' DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_proc_wrong_parent.yml - '\services.exe' DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_susp_execution_path_webserver.yml - '\services.exe' DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_susp_powershell_parent_process.yml - '\services.exe' DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_susp_service_dir.yml - '\services.exe' DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_susp_svchost.yml - '\services.exe' DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_system_exe_anomaly.yml - '\services.exe' DRL 1.0
malware-ioc misp-badiis.json "description": "Adversaries may abuse the Windows service control manager to execute malicious commands or payloads. The Windows service control manager (<code>services.exe</code>) is an interface to manage and manipulate services.(Citation: Microsoft Service Control Manager) The service control manager is accessible to users via GUI components as well as system utilities such as <code>sc.exe</code> and [Net](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0039).\n\n[PsExec](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0029) can also be used to execute commands or payloads via a temporary Windows service created through the service control manager API.(Citation: Russinovich Sysinternals)\n\nAdversaries may leverage these mechanisms to execute malicious content. This can be done by either executing a new or modified service. This technique is the execution used in conjunction with [Windows Service](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1543/003) during service persistence or privilege escalation.", © ESET 2014-2018
atomic-red-team T1569.002.md <blockquote>Adversaries may abuse the Windows service control manager to execute malicious commands or payloads. The Windows service control manager (services.exe) is an interface to manage and manipulate services.(Citation: Microsoft Service Control Manager) The service control manager is accessible to users via GUI components as well as system utilities such as sc.exe and Net. MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
signature-base apt_bronze_butler.yar $s1 = “Services.exe” fullword ascii CC BY-NC 4.0
signature-base apt_win_plugx.yar $x1 = “%WINDIR%\SYSTEM32\SERVICES.EXE” fullword wide CC BY-NC 4.0
signature-base spy_equation_fiveeyes.yar $s0 = “SERVICES.EXE” fullword wide CC BY-NC 4.0

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