LSASS Memory Dump Creation

Last updated 2 months ago on 2025-03-20
Created 5 years ago on 2020-11-24

About

Identifies the creation of a Local Security Authority Subsystem Service (lsass.exe) default memory dump. This may indicate a credential access attempt via trusted system utilities such as Task Manager (taskmgr.exe) and SQL Dumper (sqldumper.exe) or known pentesting tools such as Dumpert and AndrewSpecial.
Tags
Domain: EndpointOS: WindowsUse Case: Threat DetectionTactic: Credential AccessData Source: Elastic EndgameData Source: Elastic DefendData Source: SysmonData Source: Microsoft Defender for EndpointData Source: SentinelOneLanguage: eql
Severity
high
Risk Score
73
MITRE ATT&CK™

Credential Access (TA0006)(opens in a new tab or window)

License
Elastic License v2(opens in a new tab or window)

Definition

Rule Type
Event Correlation Rule
Integration Pack
Prebuilt Security Detection Rules
Index Patterns
winlogbeat-*logs-endpoint.events.file-*logs-windows.sysmon_operational-*endgame-*logs-m365_defender.event-*logs-sentinel_one_cloud_funnel.*
Related Integrations

endpoint(opens in a new tab or window)

windows(opens in a new tab or window)

m365_defender(opens in a new tab or window)

sentinel_one_cloud_funnel(opens in a new tab or window)

Query
file where host.os.type == "windows" and event.action != "deletion" and
  file.name : ("lsass*.dmp", "dumpert.dmp", "Andrew.dmp", "SQLDmpr*.mdmp", "Coredump.dmp") and

  not (
        process.executable : (
          "?:\\Program Files\\Microsoft SQL Server\\*\\Shared\\SqlDumper.exe",
          "?:\\Program Files\\Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services\\SSRS\\ReportServer\\bin\\SqlDumper.exe",
          "?:\\Windows\\System32\\dllhost.exe"
        ) and
        file.path : (
          "?:\\*\\Reporting Services\\Logfiles\\SQLDmpr*.mdmp",
          "?:\\Program Files\\Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services\\SSRS\\Logfiles\\SQLDmpr*.mdmp",
          "?:\\Program Files\\Microsoft SQL Server\\*\\Shared\\ErrorDumps\\SQLDmpr*.mdmp",
          "?:\\Program Files\\Microsoft SQL Server\\*\\MSSQL\\LOG\\SQLDmpr*.mdmp"
        )
      ) and

  not (
        process.executable : (
          "?:\\Windows\\system32\\WerFault.exe",
          "?:\\Windows\\System32\\WerFaultSecure.exe"
          ) and
        file.path : (
          "?:\\Windows\\System32\\config\\systemprofile\\AppData\\Local\\CrashDumps\\lsass.exe.*.dmp",
          "?:\\Windows\\System32\\%LOCALAPPDATA%\\CrashDumps\\lsass.exe.*.dmp"
        )
  )

Install detection rules in Elastic Security

Detect LSASS Memory Dump Creation in the Elastic Security detection engine by installing this rule into your Elastic Stack.

To setup this rule, check out the installation guide for Prebuilt Security Detection Rules(opens in a new tab or window).