Sigma rule: Powershell LocalAccount Manipulation

Rule

Title

Powershell LocalAccount Manipulation

Status

test

Level

medium

Author

frack113

Date

2021-12-28

File

rules/windows/powershell/powershell_script/posh_ps_localuser.yml

Commit

ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Adversaries may manipulate accounts to maintain access to victim systems.
Account manipulation may consist of any action that preserves adversary access to a compromised account, such as modifying credentials or permission groups

Log source

product

windows

category

ps_script

definition

Requirements: Script Block Logging must be enabled

Detection

selection:
    ScriptBlockText|contains:
        - 'Disable-LocalUser'
        - 'Enable-LocalUser'
        - 'Get-LocalUser'
        - 'Set-LocalUser'
        - 'New-LocalUser'
        - 'Rename-LocalUser'
        - 'Remove-LocalUser'
condition: selection

False positives (as the rule lists them)

• Legitimate administrative script

Tags

• attack.privilege-escalation
• attack.persistence
• attack.t1098

MITRE ATT&CK ids this rule names

• T1098

References

• https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1098/T1098.md#atomic-test-1---admin-account-manipulate
• https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.localaccounts/?view=powershell-5.1

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_localuser.yml