---
title: "SLUI RunAs Elevated"
excerpt: "Bypass User Account Control, Abuse Elevation Control Mechanism"
categories:
  - Endpoint
last_modified_at: 2021-05-13
toc: true
toc_label: ""
tags:
  - Bypass User Account Control
  - Privilege Escalation
  - Defense Evasion
  - Abuse Elevation Control Mechanism
  - Privilege Escalation
  - Defense Evasion
  - Splunk Enterprise
  - Splunk Enterprise Security
  - Splunk Cloud
  - Endpoint
---



[Try in Splunk Security Cloud](https://www.splunk.com/en_us/cyber-security.html){: .btn .btn--success}

#### Description

The following analytic identifies the Microsoft Software Licensing User Interface Tool, `slui.exe`, elevating access using the `-verb runas` function. This particular bypass utilizes a registry key/value. Identified by two sources, the registry keys are `HKCU\Software\Classes\exefile\shell` and `HKCU\Software\Classes\launcher.Systemsettings\Shell\open\command`. To simulate this behavior, multiple POC are available. The analytic identifies the use of `runas` by `slui.exe`.

- **Type**: [TTP](https://github.com/splunk/security_content/wiki/Detection-Analytic-Types)
- **Product**: Splunk Enterprise, Splunk Enterprise Security, Splunk Cloud
- **Datamodel**: [Endpoint](https://docs.splunk.com/Documentation/CIM/latest/User/Endpoint)
- **Last Updated**: 2021-05-13
- **Author**: Michael Haag, Splunk
- **ID**: 8d124810-b3e4-11eb-96c7-acde48001122


#### [ATT&CK](https://attack.mitre.org/)

| ID             | Technique        |  Tactic             |
| -------------- | ---------------- |-------------------- |
| [T1548.002](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1548/002/) | Bypass User Account Control | Privilege Escalation, Defense Evasion |

| [T1548](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1548/) | Abuse Elevation Control Mechanism | Privilege Escalation, Defense Evasion |

#### Search

```

| tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime from datamodel=Endpoint.Processes where Processes.process_name=slui.exe (Processes.process=*-verb* Processes.process=*runas*) by Processes.dest Processes.user Processes.parent_process Processes.process_name Processes.process Processes.process_id Processes.parent_process_id 
| `drop_dm_object_name(Processes)` 
| `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` 
| `security_content_ctime(lastTime)` 
| `slui_runas_elevated_filter`
```

#### Macros
The SPL above uses the following Macros:
* [security_content_ctime](https://github.com/splunk/security_content/blob/develop/macros/security_content_ctime.yml)
* [security_content_summariesonly](https://github.com/splunk/security_content/blob/develop/macros/security_content_summariesonly.yml)

Note that `slui_runas_elevated_filter` is a empty macro by default. It allows the user to filter out any results (false positives) without editing the SPL.

#### Required field
* _time
* Processes.dest
* Processes.user
* Processes.parent_process
* Processes.process_name
* Processes.process
* Processes.process_id
* Processes.parent_process_id


#### How To Implement
To successfully implement this search you need to be ingesting information on process that include the name of the process responsible for the changes from your endpoints into the `Endpoint` datamodel in the `Processes` node.

#### Known False Positives
Limited false positives should be present as this is not commonly used by legitimate applications.

#### Associated Analytic story
* [DarkSide Ransomware](/stories/darkside_ransomware)
* [Windows Defense Evasion Tactics](/stories/windows_defense_evasion_tactics)


#### Kill Chain Phase
* Exploitation



#### RBA

| Risk Score  | Impact      | Confidence   | Message      |
| ----------- | ----------- |--------------|--------------|
| 63.0 | 70 | 90 | A slui process $process_name$ with elevated commandline $process$ in host $dest$ |


Note that risk score is calculated base on the following formula: `(Impact * Confidence)/100`



#### Reference

* [https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/46998](https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/46998)
* [https://medium.com/@mattharr0ey/privilege-escalation-uac-bypass-in-changepk-c40b92818d1b](https://medium.com/@mattharr0ey/privilege-escalation-uac-bypass-in-changepk-c40b92818d1b)
* [https://gist.github.com/r00t-3xp10it/0c92cd554d3156fd74f6c25660ccc466](https://gist.github.com/r00t-3xp10it/0c92cd554d3156fd74f6c25660ccc466)
* [https://www.rapid7.com/db/modules/exploit/windows/local/bypassuac_sluihijack/](https://www.rapid7.com/db/modules/exploit/windows/local/bypassuac_sluihijack/)
* [https://www.fireeye.com/blog/threat-research/2021/05/shining-a-light-on-darkside-ransomware-operations.html](https://www.fireeye.com/blog/threat-research/2021/05/shining-a-light-on-darkside-ransomware-operations.html)



#### Test Dataset
Replay any dataset to Splunk Enterprise by using our [`replay.py`](https://github.com/splunk/attack_data#using-replaypy) tool or the [UI](https://github.com/splunk/attack_data#using-ui).
Alternatively you can replay a dataset into a [Splunk Attack Range](https://github.com/splunk/attack_range#replay-dumps-into-attack-range-splunk-server)

* [https://media.githubusercontent.com/media/splunk/attack_data/master/datasets/attack_techniques/T1548.002/slui/windows-sysmon.log](https://media.githubusercontent.com/media/splunk/attack_data/master/datasets/attack_techniques/T1548.002/slui/windows-sysmon.log)



[*source*](https://github.com/splunk/security_content/tree/develop/detections/endpoint/slui_runas_elevated.yml) \| *version*: **1**