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Create or Modify System Process: Windows Service

Adversaries may create or modify Windows services to repeatedly execute malicious payloads as part of persistence. When Windows boots up, it starts programs or applications called services that perform background system functions.[1] Windows service configuration information, including the file path to the service's executable or recovery programs/commands, is stored in the Windows Registry. Service configurations can be modified using utilities such as sc.exe and Reg.

Adversaries may install a new service or modify an existing service by using system utilities to interact with services, by directly modifying the Registry, or by using custom tools to interact with the Windows API. Adversaries may configure services to execute at startup in order to persist on a system.

An adversary may also incorporate Masquerading by using a service name from a related operating system or benign software, or by modifying existing services to make detection analysis more challenging. Modifying existing services may interrupt their functionality or may enable services that are disabled or otherwise not commonly used.

Services may be created with administrator privileges but are executed under SYSTEM privileges, so an adversary may also use a service to escalate privileges from administrator to SYSTEM. Adversaries may also directly start services through Service Execution.

ID: T1543.003
Sub-technique of:  T1543
Tactics: Persistence, Privilege Escalation
Platforms: Windows
Effective Permissions: Administrator, SYSTEM
Data Sources: API monitoring, File monitoring, Process command-line parameters, Process monitoring, Windows Registry, Windows event logs
Contributors: Matthew Demaske, Adaptforward; Pedro Harrison; Travis Smith, Tripwire
Version: 1.1
Created: 17 January 2020
Last Modified: 16 September 2020

Procedure Examples

Name Description
Anchor

Anchor can establish persistence by creating a service.[2]

APT19

An APT19 Port 22 malware variant registers itself as a service.[3]

APT3

APT3 has a tool that creates a new service for persistence.[4]

APT32

APT32 modified Windows Services to ensure PowerShell scripts were loaded on the system. APT32 also creates a Windows service to establish persistence.[5][6][7]

APT41

APT41 modified legitimate Windows services to install malware backdoors.[8] APT41 created the StorSyncSvc service to provide persistence for Cobalt Strike.[9]

Attor

Attor's dispatcher can establish persistence by registering a new service.[10]

AuditCred

AuditCred is installed as a new service on the system.[11]

Bankshot

Bankshot can terminate a specific process by its process id.[12][13]

BBSRAT

BBSRAT can modify service configurations.[14]

BlackEnergy

One variant of BlackEnergy creates a new service using either a hard-coded or randomly generated name.[15]

Blue Mockingbird

Blue Mockingbird has made their XMRIG payloads persistent as a Windows Service.[16]

Briba

Briba installs a service pointing to a malicious DLL dropped to disk.[17]

Carbanak

Carbanak malware installs itself as a service to provide persistence and SYSTEM privileges.[18]

Carbon

Carbon establishes persistence by creating a service and naming it based off the operating system version running on the current machine.[19]

Catchamas

Catchamas adds a new service named NetAdapter to establish persistence.[20]

Cobalt Group

Cobalt Group has created new services to establish persistence.[21]

Cobalt Strike

Cobalt Strike can install a new service.[22]

CosmicDuke

CosmicDuke uses Windows services typically named "javamtsup" for persistence.[23]

CozyCar

One persistence mechanism used by CozyCar is to register itself as a Windows service.[24]

DarkVishnya

DarkVishnya created new services for shellcode loaders distribution.[25]

Duqu

Duqu creates a new service that loads a malicious driver when the system starts. When Duqu is active, the operating system believes that the driver is legitimate, as it has been signed with a valid private key.[26]

Dyre

Dyre registers itself as a service by adding several Registry keys.[27]

Elise

Elise configures itself as a service.[28]

Emissary

Emissary is capable of configuring itself as a service.[29]

Emotet

Emotet has been observed creating new services to maintain persistence. [30][31]

Empire

Empire can utilize built-in modules to modify service binaries and restore them to their original state.[32]

Exaramel for Windows

The Exaramel for Windows dropper creates and starts a Windows service named wsmprovav with the description "Windows Check AV."[33]

FIN7

FIN7 created new Windows services and added them to the startup directories for persistence.[34]

FinFisher

FinFisher creates a new Windows service with the malicious executable for persistence.[35][36]

gh0st RAT

gh0st RAT can create a new service to establish persistence.[37][38]

GoldenSpy

GoldenSpy has established persistence by running in the background as an autostart service.[39]

GreyEnergy

GreyEnergy chooses a service, drops a DLL file, and writes it to that serviceDLL Registry key.[40]

hcdLoader

hcdLoader installs itself as a service for persistence.[41][42]

Honeybee

Honeybee has batch files that modify the system service COMSysApp to load a malicious DLL.[43]

Hydraq

Hydraq creates new services to establish persistence.[44][45][46]

InnaputRAT

Some InnaputRAT variants create a new Windows service to establish persistence.[47]

InvisiMole

InvisiMole can register a Windows service named CsPower as part of its execution chain, and a Windows service named clr_optimization_v2.0.51527_X86 to achieve persistence.[48]

JHUHUGIT

JHUHUGIT has registered itself as a service to establish persistence.[49]

Kazuar

Kazuar can install itself as a new service.[50]

Ke3chang

Ke3chang backdoor RoyalDNS established persistence through adding a service called Nwsapagent.[51]

KeyBoy

KeyBoy installs a service pointing to a malicious DLL dropped to disk.[52]

Kimsuky

Kimsuky has created new services for persistence.[53]

Kwampirs

Kwampirs creates a new service named WmiApSrvEx to establish persistence.[54]

Lazarus Group

Several Lazarus Group malware families install themselves as new services on victims.[55][56]

LoudMiner

LoudMiner can automatically launch a Linux virtual machine as a service at startup if the AutoStart option is enabled in the VBoxVmService configuration file.[57]

MoonWind

MoonWind installs itself as a new service with automatic startup to establish persistence. The service checks every 60 seconds to determine if the malware is running; if not, it will spawn a new instance.[58]

Naid

Naid creates a new service to establish.[59]

Nerex

Nerex creates a Registry subkey that registers a new service.[60]

Nidiran

Nidiran can create a new service named msamger (Microsoft Security Accounts Manager).[61]

Okrum

To establish persistence, Okrum can install itself as a new service named NtmSsvc.[62]

PipeMon

PipeMon can establish persistence by registering a malicious DLL as an alternative Print Processor which is loaded when the print spooler service starts.[63]

PlugX

PlugX can be added as a service to establish persistence. PlugX also has a module to change service configurations as well as start, control, and delete services.[64][65][66][67][68]

PoisonIvy

PoisonIvy creates a Registry subkey that registers a new service. PoisonIvy also creates a Registry entry modifying the Logical Disk Manager service to point to a malicious DLL dropped to disk.[69]

PowerSploit

PowerSploit contains a collection of Privesc-PowerUp modules that can discover and replace/modify service binaries, paths, and configs.[70][71]

PROMETHIUM

PROMETHIUM has created new services and modified existing services for persistence.[72]

Ragnar Locker

Ragnar Locker has used sc.exe to create a new service for the VirtualBox driver.[73]

RawPOS

RawPOS installs itself as a service to maintain persistence.[74][75][76]

RDAT

RDAT has created a service when it is installed on the victim machine.[77]

Reaver

Reaver installs itself as a new service.[78]

Sakula

Some Sakula samples install themselves as services for persistence by calling WinExec with the net start argument.[79]

Seasalt

Seasalt is capable of installing itself as a service.[80]

Shamoon

Shamoon creates a new service named "ntssrv" to execute the payload. Newer versions create the "MaintenaceSrv" and "hdv_725x" services.[81][82]

ShimRat

ShimRat has installed a Windows service to maintain persistence on victim machines.[83]

StreamEx

StreamEx establishes persistence by installing a new service pointing to its DLL and setting the service to auto-start.[84]

StrongPity

StrongPity has created new services and modified existing services for persistence.[85]

TDTESS

If running as administrator, TDTESS installs itself as a new service named bmwappushservice to establish persistence.[86]

Teardrop

Teardrop ran as a Windows service from the c:\windows\syswow64 folder.[87][88]

Threat Group-3390

A Threat Group-3390 tool can create a new service, naming it after the config information, to gain persistence.[89]

TinyZBot

TinyZBot can install as a Windows service for persistence.[90]

TrickBot

TrickBot establishes persistence by creating an autostart service that allows it to run whenever the machine boots.[91]

Tropic Trooper

Tropic Trooper has installed a service pointing to a malicious DLL dropped to disk.[92]

TYPEFRAME

TYPEFRAME variants can add malicious DLL modules as new services.TYPEFRAME can also delete services from the victim’s machine.[93]

Ursnif

Ursnif has registered itself as a system service in the Registry for automatic execution at system startup.[94]

Volgmer

Volgmer installs a copy of itself in a randomly selected service, then overwrites the ServiceDLL entry in the service's Registry entry. Some Volgmer variants also install .dll files as services with names generated by a list of hard-coded strings.[95][96][97]

WannaCry

WannaCry creates the service "mssecsvc2.0" with the display name "Microsoft Security Center (2.0) Service."[98][99]

Wiarp

Wiarp creates a backdoor through which remote attackers can create a service.[100]

Wingbird

Wingbird uses services.exe to register a new autostart service named "Audit Service" using a copy of the local lsass.exe file.[101][102]

Winnti for Windows

Winnti for Windows sets its DLL file as a new service in the Registry to establish persistence.[103]

Wizard Spider

Wizard Spider has installed TrickBot as a service named ControlServiceA in order to establish persistence.[104]

ZeroT

ZeroT can add a new service to ensure PlugX persists on the system when delivered as another payload onto the system.[68]

ZLib

ZLib creates Registry keys to allow itself to run as various services.[105]

zwShell

zwShell has established persistence by adding itself as a new service.[106]

ZxShell

ZxShell can create a new service using the service parser function ProcessScCommand.[107]

Mitigations

Mitigation Description
Audit

Use auditing tools capable of detecting privilege and service abuse opportunities on systems within an enterprise and correct them.

User Account Management

Limit privileges of user accounts and groups so that only authorized administrators can interact with service changes and service configurations.

Detection

Monitor processes and command-line arguments for actions that could create or modify services. Command-line invocation of tools capable of adding or modifying services may be unusual, depending on how systems are typically used in a particular environment. Services may also be modified through Windows system management tools such as Windows Management Instrumentation and PowerShell, so additional logging may need to be configured to gather the appropriate data. Remote access tools with built-in features may also interact directly with the Windows API to perform these functions outside of typical system utilities. Collect service utility execution and service binary path arguments used for analysis. Service binary paths may even be changed to execute commands or scripts.

Look for changes to service Registry entries that do not correlate with known software, patch cycles, etc. Service information is stored in the Registry at HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services. Changes to the binary path and the service startup type changed from manual or disabled to automatic, if it does not typically do so, may be suspicious. Tools such as Sysinternals Autoruns may also be used to detect system service changes that could be attempts at persistence.[108]

Creation of new services may generate an alterable event (ex: Event ID 4697 and/or 7045 [109][110]). New, benign services may be created during installation of new software.

Suspicious program execution through services may show up as outlier processes that have not been seen before when compared against historical data. Look for abnormal process call trees from known services and for execution of other commands that could relate to Discovery or other adversary techniques. Data and events should not be viewed in isolation, but as part of a chain of behavior that could lead to other activities, such as network connections made for Command and Control, learning details about the environment through Discovery, and Lateral Movement.

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