Sigma rule: Potential Crypto Mining Activity

A detection rule from the SigmaHQ repository, shown as its author published it. Dataset version ref-e9901a928c3e, updated 2023-02-13T00:00:00.000Z.

Rule

Title
Potential Crypto Mining Activity
Status
stable
Level
high
Author
Florian Roth (Nextron Systems)
Date
2021-10-26
Modified
2023-02-13
File
rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_susp_crypto_mining_monero.yml
Commit
ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects command line parameters or strings often used by crypto miners

Log source

product
windows
category
process_creation

Detection

selection:
    CommandLine|contains:
        - ' --cpu-priority='
        - '--donate-level=0'
        - ' -o pool.'
        - ' --nicehash'
        - ' --algo=rx/0 '
        - 'stratum+tcp://'
        - 'stratum+udp://'
        # base64 encoded: --donate-level=
        - 'LS1kb25hdGUtbGV2ZWw9'
        - '0tZG9uYXRlLWxldmVsP'
        - 'tLWRvbmF0ZS1sZXZlbD'
        # base64 encoded: stratum+tcp:// and stratum+udp://
        - 'c3RyYXR1bSt0Y3A6Ly'
        - 'N0cmF0dW0rdGNwOi8v'
        - 'zdHJhdHVtK3RjcDovL'
        - 'c3RyYXR1bSt1ZHA6Ly'
        - 'N0cmF0dW0rdWRwOi8v'
        - 'zdHJhdHVtK3VkcDovL'
filter:
    CommandLine|contains:
        - ' pool.c '
        - ' pool.o '
        - 'gcc -'
condition: selection and not filter

False positives (as the rule lists them)

  • Legitimate use of crypto miners
  • Some build frameworks

Tags

  • attack.impact
  • attack.t1496

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_susp_crypto_mining_monero.yml

Sources and licences

  • SigmaHQ

    "Potential Crypto Mining Activity" by Florian Roth (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ). Rule: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_susp_crypto_mining_monero.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: Potential Crypto Mining Activity",
entity page, dataset version ref-e9901a928c3e, updated 2023-02-13T00:00:00.000Z,
https://ransomware-tracker.com/detections/sigma/66c3b204-9f88-4d0a-a7f7-8a57d521ca55 (accessed 2026-11-03).
Underlying source: SigmaHQ rule 66c3b204-9f88-4d0a-a7f7-8a57d521ca55, 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.