Sigma rule: Malicious PE Execution by Microsoft Visual Studio Debugger

Rule

Title

Malicious PE Execution by Microsoft Visual Studio Debugger

Status

test

Level

medium

Author

Agro (@agro_sev), Ensar Şamil (@sblmsrsn), oscd.community

Date

2020-10-14

Modified

2022-10-09

File

rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_susp_use_of_vsjitdebugger_bin.yml

Commit

ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

There is an option for a MS VS Just-In-Time Debugger "vsjitdebugger.exe" to launch specified executable and attach a debugger.
This option may be used adversaries to execute malicious code by signed verified binary.
The debugger is installed alongside with Microsoft Visual Studio package.

Log source

product

windows

category

process_creation

Detection

selection:
    ParentImage|endswith: '\vsjitdebugger.exe'
reduction1:
    Image|endswith: '\vsimmersiveactivatehelper*.exe'
reduction2:
    Image|endswith: '\devenv.exe'
condition: selection and not (reduction1 or reduction2)

False positives (as the rule lists them)

• The process spawned by vsjitdebugger.exe is uncommon.

Tags

• attack.stealth
• attack.t1218

MITRE ATT&CK ids this rule names

• T1218

References

• https://twitter.com/pabraeken/status/990758590020452353
• https://lolbas-project.github.io/lolbas/OtherMSBinaries/Vsjitdebugger/
• https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/debugger/debug-using-the-just-in-time-debugger?view=vs-2019

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/process_creation/proc_creation_win_susp_use_of_vsjitdebugger_bin.yml