title: Bypass UAC via CMSTP
id: e66779cc-383e-4224-a3a4-267eeb585c40
description: Detect child processes of automatically elevated instances of Microsoft Connection Manager Profile Installer (cmstp.exe).
status: experimental
author: E.M. Anhaus (originally from Atomic Blue Detections, Endgame), oscd.community
date: 2019/10/24
modified: 2020/08/29
references:
    - https://eqllib.readthedocs.io/en/latest/analytics/e584f1a1-c303-4885-8a66-21360c90995b.html
    - https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/master/atomics/T1191/T1191.md
tags:
    - attack.privilege_escalation
    - attack.defense_evasion
    - attack.t1548.002
    - attack.t1218.003
    - attack.t1191      # an old one
    - attack.t1088      # an old one
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection:
        Image|endswith: '\cmstp.exe'
        CommandLine|contains:
            - '/s'
            - '/au'
    condition: selection
fields:
    - ComputerName
    - User
    - CommandLine
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate use of cmstp.exe utility by legitimate user
level: high