Sigma rule: Remote Access Tool - MeshAgent Command Execution via MeshCentral

Rule

Title

Remote Access Tool - MeshAgent Command Execution via MeshCentral

Status

test

Level

medium

Author

@Kostastsale

Date

2024-09-22

File

rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_remote_access_tools_meshagent_exec.yml

Commit

ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects the use of MeshAgent to execute commands on the target host, particularly when threat actors might abuse it to execute commands directly.
MeshAgent can execute commands on the target host by leveraging win-console to obscure their activities and win-dispatcher to run malicious code through IPC with child processes.

Log source

product

windows

category

process_creation

Detection

selection:
    ParentImage|endswith: '\meshagent.exe'
    Image|endswith:
        - '\cmd.exe'
        - '\powershell.exe'
        - '\pwsh.exe'
condition: selection

False positives (as the rule lists them)

• False positives can be found in environments using MeshAgent for remote management, analysis should prioritize the grandparent process, MeshAgent.exe, and scrutinize the resulting child processes triggered by any suspicious interactive commands directed at the target host.

Tags

• attack.command-and-control
• attack.t1219.002

MITRE ATT&CK ids this rule names

• T1219.002

References

• https://github.com/Ylianst/MeshAgent
• https://github.com/Ylianst/MeshAgent/blob/52cf129ca43d64743181fbaf940e0b4ddb542a37/modules/win-dispatcher.js#L173
• https://github.com/Ylianst/MeshAgent/blob/52cf129ca43d64743181fbaf940e0b4ddb542a37/modules/win-info.js#L55

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_remote_access_tools_meshagent_exec.yml