A service was installed in the system (System Log)

// EVENT DEFINITION:

A service was installed in the system (logged in the System Event Log by Service Control Manager).

// DETAILED TELEMETRY & CONTEXT:

While Event ID 4697 is recorded in the **Security Event Log** when audit policy is enabled, Event ID 7045 is recorded directly in the **System Event Log** (`System.evtx`) by the Service Control Manager by default without needing audit policy adjustments. It captures `ServiceName`, `ImagePath` (binary command line), `ServiceType`, and `StartType`.

[ ! ]Failure Reason / Root Cause Analysis

Software installation, `sc create` execution, or lateral movement (`PsExec` service creation).

Operational Metadata & Applicability

Log Category:System

Audit Type Classification:Success Audit

Supported Operating Systems:Windows Server 2016, 2019, 2022 / Windows Client 10, 11 (Enterprise / Pro)

Threat Hunting Keywords:

7045system log servicesc createservice control managerimagepathpsexec

MITRE ATT&CK Framework Alignment

T1543.003

Create or Modify System Process: Windows ServiceTactic: Persistence

Mitigation Playbook & Recommended SOC Actions

•Always monitor both Event ID 4697 (Security log) and Event ID 7045 (System log) to ensure complete service creation visibility across all endpoints.
•Alert on `ImagePath` values executing `cmd.exe /c`, `powershell.exe -enc`, or pointing to user profile temp directories.

Representative Windows Event XML Schema

<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
  <System>
    <Provider Name="Microsoft-Windows-Security-Auditing" Guid="{54849625-5478-4994-A5BA-3E3B0328C30D}" />
    <EventID>7045</EventID>
    <Version>0</Version>
    <Level>0</Level>
    <Task>12544</Task>
    <Opcode>0</Opcode>
    <Keywords>0x8020000000000000</Keywords>
    <TimeCreated SystemTime="2026-07-17T09:54:44.366Z" />
    <EventRecordID>1048576</EventRecordID>
    <Correlation />
    <Execution ProcessID="612" ThreadID="1024" />
    <Channel>Security</Channel>
    <Computer>DC01.enterprise.internal</Computer>
    <Security />
  </System>
  <EventData>
    <Data Name="SubjectUserSid">S-1-5-18</Data>
    <Data Name="SubjectUserName">SYSTEM</Data>
    <Data Name="SubjectDomainName">NT AUTHORITY</Data>
    <Data Name="SubjectLogonId">0x3e7</Data>
    <!-- Event telemetry fields specific to A service was installed in the system (System Log) -->
  </EventData>
</Event>

Correlated / Related Security Event IDs

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