.. /Bitsadmin.exe
Star

Alternate data streams

Used for managing background intelligent transfer

Paths:

C:\Windows\System32\bitsadmin.exe
C:\Windows\SysWOW64\bitsadmin.exe

Resources:

Acknowledgements:

Rob Fuller (@mubix)
Chris Gates (@carnal0wnage)
Oddvar Moe (@oddvarmoe)

Detections:

Sigma: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/62d4fd26b05f4d81973e7c8e80d7c1a0c6a29d0e/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_bitsadmin_download.yml
Sigma: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/62d4fd26b05f4d81973e7c8e80d7c1a0c6a29d0e/rules/web/proxy_generic/proxy_ua_bitsadmin_susp_tld.yml
Sigma: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/62d4fd26b05f4d81973e7c8e80d7c1a0c6a29d0e/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_bitsadmin_potential_persistence.yml
Splunk: https://github.com/splunk/security_content/blob/3f77e24974239fcb7a339080a1a483e6bad84a82/detections/endpoint/bitsadmin_download_file.yml
IOC: Child process from bitsadmin.exe
IOC: bitsadmin creates new files
IOC: bitsadmin adds data to alternate data stream

Alternate data streams

Create a bitsadmin job named 1, add cmd.exe to the job, configure the job to run the target command from an Alternate data stream, then resume and complete the job.
```
bitsadmin /create 1 bitsadmin /addfile 1 c:\windows\system32\cmd.exe c:\data\playfolder\cmd.exe bitsadmin /SetNotifyCmdLine 1 c:\data\playfolder\1.txt:cmd.exe NULL bitsadmin /RESUME 1 bitsadmin /complete 1
```
Use case
Performs execution of specified file in the alternate data stream, can be used as a defensive evasion or persistence technique.

Privileges required
User

Operating systems
Windows vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Windows 11

ATT&CK® technique
T1564.004

Download

Create a bitsadmin job named 1, add cmd.exe to the job, configure the job to run the target command, then resume and complete the job.
```
bitsadmin /create 1 bitsadmin /addfile 1 https://live.sysinternals.com/autoruns.exe c:\data\playfolder\autoruns.exe bitsadmin /RESUME 1 bitsadmin /complete 1
```
Use case
Download file from Internet

Privileges required
User

Operating systems
Windows vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Windows 11

ATT&CK® technique
T1105

Copy

Command for copying cmd.exe to another folder
```
bitsadmin /create 1 & bitsadmin /addfile 1 c:\windows\system32\cmd.exe c:\data\playfolder\cmd.exe & bitsadmin /RESUME 1 & bitsadmin /Complete 1 & bitsadmin /reset
```
Use case
Copy file

Privileges required
User

Operating systems
Windows vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10

ATT&CK® technique
T1105

Execute

One-liner that creates a bitsadmin job named 1, add cmd.exe to the job, configure the job to run the target command, then resume and complete the job.
```
bitsadmin /create 1 & bitsadmin /addfile 1 c:\windows\system32\cmd.exe c:\data\playfolder\cmd.exe & bitsadmin /SetNotifyCmdLine 1 c:\data\playfolder\cmd.exe NULL & bitsadmin /RESUME 1 & bitsadmin /Reset
```
Use case
Execute binary file specified. Can be used as a defensive evasion.

Privileges required
User

Operating systems
Windows vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10

ATT&CK® technique
T1218