Potential Privilege Escalation Using Symlink Between Osk and Cmd
Detects the creation of a symbolic link between "cmd.exe" and the accessibility on-screen keyboard binary (osk.exe) using "mklink". This technique provides an elevated command prompt to the user from the login screen…
Description
Detects the creation of a symbolic link between "cmd.exe" and the accessibility on-screen keyboard binary (osk.exe) using "mklink". This technique provides an elevated command prompt to the user from the login screen without the need to log in.
Detection logic
Detection requirements
- Platform
- Windows
The rule states no platform. This is derived from the ATT&CK technique it maps to.
- Log source product
- windows
- Log source category
- process_creation
Known benign triggers
- Unknown
MITRE ATT&CK mappings
0 exclusive techniques.This is coverage no other published rule has; it is not this rule's total technique count.
References
| Reference | Cited by |
|---|---|
| github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/5c1e6f1b4fafd01c8d1ece85f510160fc1275fbf/atomics/T1546.008/T1546.008.md | Only this detection cites it |
| ss64.com/nt/mklink.html | Only this detection cites it |
From the source
- At source
- Open at source
- Upstream identifier
- e9b61244-893f-427c-b287-3e708f321c6b
- Tagged by the source as
- attack.persistenceattack.privilege-escalation
Licence
- Published under
- Detection Rule License 1.1Read the licence
- Attribution
- Required
Authorship
- Written by
- Published
- Aug 26, 2026
- Version
- 1