Windows Event ID 5376: Credential Manager credentials were backed up
- Applicable version
- Windows Server 2008 R2 and later
- Last reviewed
- 2026-07-21
Quick summary
Windows Security Event ID 5376 records successful backup of the user Credential Manager database.
Technical Metadata
| Event ID | 5376 |
|---|---|
| Provider | Microsoft-Windows-Security-Auditing |
| Channel | Security |
| Level | Information |
| Audit keyword | Audit Success |
| MITRE ATT&CK | TA0006 Credential Access / T1555.004 Windows Credential Manager |
| Key fields to watch | SubjectUserName / SubjectDomainName, SubjectLogonId, Computer |
Trigger Scenarios
This event is generated when the Subject successfully backs up the Credential Manager database, typically through the Credential Manager control-panel workflow.
Key Fields
SubjectUserName / SubjectDomainName
Identifies the account that performed the backup operation. Microsoft documents that this is the Subject account.
SubjectLogonId
Hexadecimal logon ID that correlates the backup to the user logon session and nearby process creation.
Computer
Identifies whether the backup occurred on a domain controller, member server, or workstation; Microsoft documents that the event can occur on all three.
Threat Hunting Queries
SecurityEvent
| where EventID == 5376
| project TimeGenerated, Computer, EventID, RenderedDescription
| order by TimeGenerated desc- Data source
- Microsoft Sentinel SecurityEvent table
- Assumptions
- The Windows Security Events connector populates SecurityEvent. Map raw XML fields to the event-specific fields described on this page.
index=wineventlog source="WinEventLog:Security" EventCode=5376
| table _time, host, EventCode, Message- Data source
- Splunk Windows Security event data
- Assumptions
- Index, source, and parsed field names vary by deployment. Apply the event-specific field conditions after validating local field extraction.
dataset = microsoft_windows_raw
| filter edr_event_id = 5376- Data source
- Cortex XDR microsoft_windows_raw
- Assumptions
- The Windows Security or applicable Windows event channel is ingested into Cortex XDR. Inspect raw provider fields because parsed names vary by collection path.
title: Windows Security Event ID 5376
status: experimental
logsource:
product: windows
service: security
detection:
selection:
EventID: 5376
condition: selection
falsepositives:
- Legitimate administrative or system activity
level: informational- Data source
- Sigma Windows Security log source
- Assumptions
- This rule retrieves the event and is not a standalone malicious-behavior detection. Add the documented field conditions and correlations in the destination SIEM.
Documented Values and Codes
| Field | Value | Meaning | Security relevance |
|---|---|---|---|
| EventID | 5376 | Credential Manager credentials were backed up successfully. | Use EventID together with the other documented event fields and correlated activity; this value alone is not proof of compromise. Source |
| Keywords | 0x8020000000000000 | The documented event XML marks this as a successful Security audit event. | Use Keywords together with the other documented event fields and correlated activity; this value alone is not proof of compromise. Source |
MITRE ATT&CK Mapping
- T1555.004Windows Credential Manager
Detection Notes
Use threshold=1 occurrence because Microsoft states every 5376 should be recorded and that Credential Manager backup is very rarely used and can indicate malicious activity. MITRE T1555.004 explicitly notes credential backups via rundll32.exe keymgr.dll KRShowKeyMgr and Windows Credential Manager vault material under %Systemdrive%\Users\[Username]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\[Vault/Credentials]\. Correlate SubjectLogonId to 4688 for rundll32.exe, vaultcmd.exe, or unusual interactive activity before closing.
Common False Positives
- Legitimate user-initiated credential backup through Credential Manager is possible but rare.
- Help-desk migration workflows can intentionally back up user credentials during device replacement.
Related Events
Sample Log
EventID: 5376
SubjectUserName: j.smith
SubjectDomainName: CORP
SubjectLogonId: 0x30d7c
Computer: WS-042Frequently Asked Questions
What does Windows Event ID 5376 mean?
A user successfully backed up the Credential Manager database.
Does Event ID 5376 always indicate malicious activity?
It is legitimate but rare; Microsoft recommends recording every occurrence because malicious software may invoke the function.
How should Event ID 5376 be investigated?
Resolve SubjectLogonId to its logon and process activity, then validate the user migration or backup change record.
Sources
- 5376: Credential Manager credentials were backed up
Microsoft · vendor
- Windows Credential Manager (T1555.004)
MITRE ATT&CK · attack
- XDR Collector datasets
Palo Alto Networks · vendor
- Sigma Rules Specification
SigmaHQ · detection rule