Sigma rule: Rundll32 Execution Without Parameters

A detection rule from the SigmaHQ repository, shown as its author published it. Dataset version ref-c359142010af, updated 2023-02-28T00:00:00.000Z.

Rule

Title
Rundll32 Execution Without Parameters
Status
test
Level
high
Author
Bartlomiej Czyz, Relativity
Date
2021-01-31
Modified
2023-02-28
File
rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_rundll32_without_parameters.yml
Commit
ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects rundll32 execution without parameters as observed when running Metasploit windows/smb/psexec exploit module

Log source

product
windows
category
process_creation

Detection

selection:
    CommandLine:
        - 'rundll32.exe'
        - 'rundll32'
condition: selection

False positives (as the rule lists them)

  • False positives may occur if a user called rundll32 from CLI with no options

Tags

  • attack.lateral-movement
  • attack.t1021.002
  • attack.t1570
  • attack.execution
  • attack.t1569.002

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_rundll32_without_parameters.yml

Sources and licences

  • SigmaHQ

    "Rundll32 Execution Without Parameters" by Bartlomiej Czyz, Relativity (SigmaHQ). Rule: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_rundll32_without_parameters.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: Rundll32 Execution Without Parameters",
entity page, dataset version ref-c359142010af, updated 2023-02-28T00:00:00.000Z,
https://ransomware-tracker.com/detections/sigma/5bb68627-3198-40ca-b458-49f973db8752 (accessed 2026-11-03).
Underlying source: SigmaHQ rule 5bb68627-3198-40ca-b458-49f973db8752, 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.