Sigma rule: PowerShell Create Local User

A detection rule from the SigmaHQ repository, shown as its author published it. Dataset version ref-0a9db029094d, updated 2022-12-25T00:00:00.000Z.

Rule

Title
PowerShell Create Local User
Status
test
Level
medium
Author
@ROxPinTeddy
Date
2020-04-11
Modified
2022-12-25
File
rules/windows/powershell/powershell_script/posh_ps_create_local_user.yml
Commit
ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects creation of a local user via PowerShell

Log source

product
windows
category
ps_script
definition
Requirements: Script Block Logging must be enabled

Detection

selection:
    ScriptBlockText|contains: 'New-LocalUser'
condition: selection

False positives (as the rule lists them)

  • Legitimate user creation

Tags

  • attack.execution
  • attack.t1059.001
  • attack.persistence
  • attack.t1136.001

MITRE ATT&CK ids this rule names

References

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_create_local_user.yml

Sources and licences

  • SigmaHQ

    "PowerShell Create Local User" by @ROxPinTeddy (SigmaHQ). Rule: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules/windows/powershell/powershell_script/posh_ps_create_local_user.yml.
    Licensed under the Detection Rule License (DRL) 1.1: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/Detection-Rule-License

    Detection Rule License (DRL) 1.1

Cite this page

Dragons Eye Ransomware Tracker, "Sigma rule: PowerShell Create Local User",
entity page, dataset version ref-0a9db029094d, updated 2022-12-25T00:00:00.000Z,
https://ransomware-tracker.com/detections/sigma/243de76f-4725-4f2e-8225-a8a69b15ad61 (accessed 2026-11-03).
Underlying source: SigmaHQ rule 243de76f-4725-4f2e-8225-a8a69b15ad61, commit ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84.

Pages change. The dataset version identifies the data, but no archive of old versions is kept, so this citation cannot be replayed later.