services.exe

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

Hashes

Type Hash
MD5 D8E577BF078C45954F4531885478D5A9
SHA1 D7A213F3CFEE2A8A191769EB33847953BE51DE54
SHA256 DFBEA9E8C316D9BC118B454B0C722CD674C30D0A256340200E2C3A7480CBA674
SHA384 99886EE32605E792D3E438A0FF2B8264D1AA8A1CFE5F25F78A9EC773C2BB6B3B55467E3B0C81479E45512A1AF73CB3BF
SHA512 D7EF417FE68D44ED5A10EECA6075010C3940D5D6568086762D7C3F7EC55793D1CCAEA7E6AC2675A3330A26B39C53C4BE04241FFD23BA80B88112DE10A01925E9
SSDEEP 12288:GhFzTossHm4AiBOBMtKTgnMC/DYOpBdMlrSZKeX0o57JdR1:GhFH723A4OiQTgMeXGr89X0o57Tb
IMP D1098E3A37F227B6FF6BD36C1801EDFA
PESHA1 81FC4700EF8675304FAEBDB203560D5549C72480
PE256 1B276A2E31E2146E9C504DF3A794F138B7C1D0017B6E08999798FE792310806A

Signature

  • Status: Signature verified.
  • Serial: 33000002EC6579AD1E670890130000000002EC
  • Thumbprint: F7C2F2C96A328C13CDA8CDB57B715BDEA2CBD1D9
  • 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: 10.0.19041.1 (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: 0/72
  • VirusTotal Link: https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/dfbea9e8c316d9bc118b454b0c722cd674c30d0a256340200e2c3a7480cba674/detection

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

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