w32tm.exe
Sources: 300M+ executions observed in the wild.
Summary
Windows Time service command-line tool - configures and monitors time synchronization. Used for NTP configuration and diagnostics.
w32tm.exe is the 308th most commonly executed Windows program in EchoTrail's dataset, observed 31,656 times across enterprise environments. It typically runs from C:\Windows\System32 and it is most often launched by QualysAgent.exe.
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Behavior
Top Paths
- C:\Windows\System32100%
Top Hashes (SHA256)
- 21fff3acf14af70e22d23028dc26bee58c8394707c61618ae1d35866dc9c4d5126.24%
- 6b71a1db48da5f0359ea3fbbd3dec449b7f91b00687617d0d6e979b5f0ab245917.18%
- a6068fdd06a779798be73420ae7e91544c23b96eb01d75a1be86ead8c0413e6b14.64%
- 5e3a5fc9e23d2db226816d93af763c3b3d6ec280d046255dc81e6e47a6550b1412.55%
- 88f14176c848adce732fe1db67c2d95cd495ac71caed5d137e0108332509042f7.83%
- cd7b686140e6b3021593cfab3dace3b914df1a7875511229ee74241f5759d69c6.37%
- 9f202097621e1af3863d7709dc75a9fdf2bfeb53fce687c8472202ce9e5b87475.7%
- 273c997356b80a12c81812928b265e47ff0264d826ac93270d2093849133f29d4.81%
- 7636b7f51d680d055dac3b217e2a3e33281faee8f8de8f28de7f6e258690abdb3.05%
- 648562d9071c2189b24eef623ceaf5077052ddaed371dd5e3bb65ed08a59b7950.54%
Process Ancestry
Top Grandparents
- remsh.exe30.77%
- sedlauncher.exe20.21%
- WaaSMedic.exe19.05%
- svchost.exe13.71%
- explorer.exe0.64%
- sedsvc.exe0.45%
- services.exe0.38%
- RuntimeBroker.exe0.02%
Top Parents
- QualysAgent.exe78.84%
- cmd.exe15.63%
- sdiagnhost.exe2.31%
- powershell.exe0.09%
- WaaSMedic.exe0.03%
- svchost.exe0.01%
- Health.exe<0.01%
Top Children
- conhost.exe100%
Security Analysis
What does w32tm.exe normally do?
Used by administrators to configure NTP sources, check time sync status, and troubleshoot time-related issues.
When is w32tm.exe suspicious?
Changing time sources to external/unknown NTP servers. Disabling time sync. Rapid repeated execution (time stomping reconnaissance).
How do attackers abuse w32tm.exe?
Minimal direct abuse. Could theoretically be used to break time-based security controls (Kerberos ticket validation) by desynchronizing clocks.
Detection guidance
Monitor for time source changes, especially on domain controllers.
False positive notes
Routine NTP configuration and troubleshooting by IT administrators.
MITRE ATT&CK techniques
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