w3wp.exe

File Path: C:\Windows\SysWOW64\inetsrv\w3wp.exe
Description: IIS Worker Process

Hashes

Type	Hash
MD5	`3C49492762BE5985185665A7202C4DDA`
SHA1	`706169C6C12C24470F6F724E90314E5F3417B9EA`
SHA256	`3FB9F0B5E922208C56707FE98133265C1676A9937ADCB7DBEABC3EB67A05C22B`
SHA384	`9389DA69916F6E7AF3BD9BC4DDDD18107BCEC3F7D8F66FD062AD106FA4FC39805DB6296C987AAB9AAC11F0C399F91316`
SHA512	`616437A600BB57CE16B1BAB0AF2CC003B288DB6BD8A80E6E4EC979BCD0A3C682E1F773C986D54FE36F8E15441DA58EF9719CBA09F2998AA76C723C2967221CAC`
SSDEEP	`384:U+NQJPvshyN8jfV3rC3F258eH3VwufI8p+8s09Ux0X6gwRtWSu8fyDE:U+SJPveVcFLe3+CZ+nVx0XpwRxfW`

Runtime Data

Usage (stdout):

Usage: C:\Windows\SysWOW64\inetsrv\w3wp.exe -s <site id> | -h [application host file]  
                           -w <optional root web.config file>  
                           -in <optional instance name>  
 
	-u 
		 This option launches a worker process using the default 
		 application host config file.  By default, it will use 
		 site id 1. 
 
	-s <site id> 
		 Optional parameter to use a siteinformation from the provided 
		 site id. 
 
	or 
 
	-h [Application host config filename] 
		 Launches a worker process using the specified application host 
		 config file. 
 
	-in <Instance Name> 
		 Optional instance name to use.  Defaults to 'HWC-<PID>' 
 
	-w <Root web config filename> 
		 Optional root web config file to use. 
 
	-tt <Shutdown timeout in seconds> 
		 Optional parameter for graceful shutdown when user launched w3wp.exe directly, default 30s. 
		 Graceful shutdown will only be triggered by ctrl+break signal  
 
	-g  <Enable locale> 
		 Optional parameter for enabling locale to use user's setting on language,  
		 environ

Loaded Modules:

Path
C:\Windows\SYSTEM32\ntdll.dll

Signature

Status: Signature verified.
Serial: 33000001C422B2F79B793DACB20000000001C4
Thumbprint: AE9C1AE54763822EEC42474983D8B635116C8452
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: w3wp.exe
Product Name: Internet Information Services
Company Name: Microsoft Corporation
File Version: 10.0.17763.1 (WinBuild.160101.0800)
Product Version: 10.0.17763.1
Language: Language Neutral

Possible Misuse

The following table contains possible examples of w3wp.exe being misused. While w3wp.exe is not inherently malicious, its legitimate functionality can be abused for malicious purposes.

Source	Source File	Example	License
sigma	godmode_sigma_rule.yml	`- '\w3wp.exe'`	DRL 1.0
sigma	sysmon_suspicious_remote_thread.yml	`- '\w3wp.exe'`	DRL 1.0
sigma	pipe_created_alternate_powershell_hosts_pipe.yml	`- 'c:\windows\system32\inetsrv\w3wp.exe' # this is sad :,( but it triggers FPs on Exchange servers`	DRL 1.0
sigma	proc_creation_win_susp_csc_folder.yml	`- '\w3wp.exe' # https://twitter.com/gabriele_pippi/status/1206907900268072962`	DRL 1.0
sigma	proc_creation_win_susp_powershell_parent_process.yml	`- '\w3wp.exe'`	DRL 1.0
sigma	proc_creation_win_webshell_detection.yml	`- '\w3wp.exe'`	DRL 1.0
sigma	proc_creation_win_webshell_recon_detection.yml	`- '\w3wp.exe'`	DRL 1.0
sigma	proc_creation_win_webshell_spawn.yml	`- '\w3wp.exe'`	DRL 1.0
signature-base	apt_hafnium.yar	$s1 = “AppPath=c:\windows\system32\inetsrv\w3wp.exe” wide fullword	CC BY-NC 4.0