Sigma rule: Suspicious Start-Process PassThru

Rule

Title

Suspicious Start-Process PassThru

Status

test

Level

medium

Author

frack113

Date

2022-01-15

Modified

2026-05-18

File

rules/windows/powershell/powershell_script/posh_ps_susp_start_process.yml

Commit

ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Powershell use PassThru option to start in background

Log source

product

windows

category

ps_script

definition

Requirements: Script Block Logging must be enabled

Detection

selection_cmdlet:
    ScriptBlockText|contains:
        - 'Start-Process '
        - 'saps '
selection_param:
    ScriptBlockText|contains|all:
        - '-PassThru '
        - '-FilePath '
condition: all of selection_*

False positives (as the rule lists them)

• Legitimate PowerShell scripts

Tags

• attack.stealth
• attack.t1036.003

MITRE ATT&CK ids this rule names

• T1036.003

References

• https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1036.003/T1036.003.md
• https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.management/start-process?view=powershell-7.6

Read on 2026-11-03T00:58:21.399Z under licence sigma-drl-1.1@d5f4c36a from https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules/windows/powershell/powershell_script/posh_ps_susp_start_process.yml