Sigma rule: HackTool - Default PowerSploit/Empire Scheduled Task Creation

Rule

Title

HackTool - Default PowerSploit/Empire Scheduled Task Creation

Status

test

Level

high

Author

Markus Neis, @Karneades

Date

2018-03-06

Modified

2023-03-03

File

rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_hktl_powersploit_empire_default_schtasks.yml

Commit

ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects the creation of a schtask via PowerSploit or Empire Default Configuration.

Log source

product

windows

category

process_creation

Detection

selection:
    ParentImage|endswith:
        - '\powershell.exe'
        - '\pwsh.exe'
    Image|endswith: '\schtasks.exe'
    CommandLine|contains|all:
        - '/Create'
        - 'powershell.exe -NonI'
        - '/TN Updater /TR'
    CommandLine|contains:
        - '/SC ONLOGON'
        - '/SC DAILY /ST'
        - '/SC ONIDLE'
        - '/SC HOURLY'
condition: selection

False positives (as the rule lists them)

• Unlikely

Tags

• attack.execution
• attack.persistence
• attack.privilege-escalation
• attack.s0111
• attack.g0022
• attack.g0060
• car.2013-08-001
• attack.t1053.005
• attack.t1059.001

MITRE ATT&CK ids this rule names

• G0022
• G0060
• S0111
• T1053.005
• T1059.001

References

• https://github.com/0xdeadbeefJERKY/PowerSploit/blob/8690399ef70d2cad10213575ac67e8fa90ddf7c3/Persistence/Persistence.psm1
• https://github.com/EmpireProject/Empire/blob/08cbd274bef78243d7a8ed6443b8364acd1fc48b/lib/modules/powershell/persistence/userland/schtasks.py

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_hktl_powersploit_empire_default_schtasks.yml