Sigma rule: Potential Active Directory Enumeration Using AD Module - PsModule

A detection rule from the SigmaHQ repository, shown as its author published it. Dataset version ref-d35a629cf9df, updated 2023-01-22T00:00:00.000Z.

Rule

Title
Potential Active Directory Enumeration Using AD Module - PsModule
Status
test
Level
medium
Author
Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), frack113
Date
2023-01-22
File
rules/windows/powershell/powershell_module/posh_pm_active_directory_module_dll_import.yml
Commit
ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects usage of the "Import-Module" cmdlet to load the "Microsoft.ActiveDirectory.Management.dl" DLL. Which is often used by attackers to perform AD enumeration.

Log source

product
windows
category
ps_module
definition
0ad03ef1-f21b-4a79-8ce8-e6900c54b65b

Detection

selection_cmdlet:
    Payload|contains:
        - 'Import-Module '
        - 'ipmo '
selection_dll:
    Payload|contains: 'Microsoft.ActiveDirectory.Management.dll'
condition: all of selection_*

False positives (as the rule lists them)

  • Legitimate use of the library for administrative activity

Tags

  • attack.reconnaissance
  • attack.discovery
  • attack.impact

Related rules

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/powershell/powershell_module/posh_pm_active_directory_module_dll_import.yml

Sources and licences

  • SigmaHQ

    "Potential Active Directory Enumeration Using AD Module - PsModule" by Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), frack113 (SigmaHQ). Rule: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules/windows/powershell/powershell_module/posh_pm_active_directory_module_dll_import.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 Active Directory Enumeration Using AD Module - PsModule",
entity page, dataset version ref-d35a629cf9df, updated 2023-01-22T00:00:00.000Z,
https://ransomware-tracker.com/detections/sigma/74176142-4684-4d8a-8b0a-713257e7df8e (accessed 2026-11-03).
Underlying source: SigmaHQ rule 74176142-4684-4d8a-8b0a-713257e7df8e, 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.