SettingSyncHost.exe

Commands

1. ExecuteUser T1218

   Can be used to evade defensive countermeasures or to hide as a persistence mechanism

   SettingSyncHost -LoadAndRunDiagScript {PATH:.exe}

   Execute file specified in %COMSPEC%

   os: Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10

   Execute: EXE

2. ExecuteUser T1218

   Can be used to evade defensive countermeasures or to hide as a persistence mechanism. Additionally, effectively act as a -WindowStyle Hidden option (as there is in PowerShell) for any arbitrary batch file.

   SettingSyncHost -LoadAndRunDiagScriptNoCab {PATH:.bat}

   Execute a batch script in the background (no window ever pops up) which can be subverted to running arbitrary programs by setting the current working directory to %TMP% and creating files such as reg.bat/reg.exe in that directory thereby causing them to execute instead of the ones in C:\Windows\System32.

   os: Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10

   Execute: CMD

Detection

• Sigma https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/c04bef2fbbe8beff6c7620d5d7ea6872dbe7acba/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_lolbin_settingsynchost.yml
• IOCSettingSyncHost.exe should not be run on a normal workstation

Resources

• https://www.hexacorn.com/blog/2020/02/02/settingsynchost-exe-as-a-lolbin/