Windows Kernel Debugger Execution

Description

Detects execution of the Windows Kernel Debugger "kd.exe".

Query · sigma

selection:
- Image|endswith: \kd.exe
- OriginalFileName: kd.exe
condition: selection

Known false positives

  • Rare occasions of legitimate cases where kernel debugging is necessary in production. Investigation is required
Raw source Windows Kernel Debugger Execution · Sigma
Esc
Published by SigmaHQ/sigma ↗, licensed under Detection Rule License 1.1 ↗. Reproduced here unmodified. 
title: Windows Kernel Debugger Execution
id: 27ee9438-90dc-4bef-904b-d3ef927f5e7e
status: test
description: Detects execution of the Windows Kernel Debugger "kd.exe".
references:
    - Internal Research
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems)
date: 2023-05-15
modified: 2024-04-24
tags:
    - attack.privilege-escalation
    - attack.stealth
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection:
        - Image|endswith: '\kd.exe'
        - OriginalFileName: 'kd.exe'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Rare occasions of legitimate cases where kernel debugging is necessary in production. Investigation is required
level: medium

Detection rules belong to the projects that publish them and remain under their own licenses. This site indexes and links to them; it claims no rights in them.