Sigma rule: Execute Code with Pester.bat

A detection rule from the SigmaHQ repository, shown as its author published it. Dataset version ref-0d340f54ce00, updated 2023-11-09T00:00:00.000Z.

Rule

Title
Execute Code with Pester.bat
Status
test
Level
medium
Author
Julia Fomina, oscd.community
Date
2020-10-08
Modified
2023-11-09
File
rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_lolbin_pester_1.yml
Commit
ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects code execution via Pester.bat (Pester - Powershell Modulte for testing)

Log source

product
windows
category
process_creation

Detection

powershell_module:
    Image|endswith:
        - '\powershell.exe'
        - '\pwsh.exe'
    CommandLine|contains|all:
        - 'Pester'
        - 'Get-Help'
cmd_execution:
    Image|endswith: '\cmd.exe'
    CommandLine|contains|all:
        - 'pester'
        - ';'
get_help:
    CommandLine|contains:
        - 'help'
        - '\?'
condition: powershell_module or (cmd_execution and get_help)

False positives (as the rule lists them)

  • Legitimate use of Pester for writing tests for Powershell scripts and modules

Tags

  • attack.execution
  • attack.stealth
  • attack.t1059.001
  • attack.t1216

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/process_creation/proc_creation_win_lolbin_pester_1.yml

Sources and licences

  • SigmaHQ

    "Execute Code with Pester.bat" by Julia Fomina, oscd.community (SigmaHQ). Rule: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_lolbin_pester_1.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: Execute Code with Pester.bat",
entity page, dataset version ref-0d340f54ce00, updated 2023-11-09T00:00:00.000Z,
https://ransomware-tracker.com/detections/sigma/59e938ff-0d6d-4dc3-b13f-36cc28734d4e (accessed 2026-11-03).
Underlying source: SigmaHQ rule 59e938ff-0d6d-4dc3-b13f-36cc28734d4e, 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.