Sigma rule: Nltest.EXE Execution

A detection rule from the SigmaHQ repository, shown as its author published it. Dataset version ref-5f2e119d206b, updated 2023-02-03T00:00:00.000Z.

Rule

Title
Nltest.EXE Execution
Status
test
Level
low
Author
Arun Chauhan
Date
2023-02-03
File
rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_nltest_execution.yml
Commit
ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects nltest commands that can be used for information discovery

Log source

product
windows
category
process_creation

Detection

selection:
    - Image|endswith: '\nltest.exe'
    - OriginalFileName: 'nltestrk.exe'
condition: selection

False positives (as the rule lists them)

  • Legitimate administration activity

Tags

  • attack.discovery
  • attack.t1016
  • attack.t1018
  • attack.t1482

MITRE ATT&CK ids this rule names

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/process_creation/proc_creation_win_nltest_execution.yml

Sources and licences

  • SigmaHQ

    "Nltest.EXE Execution" by Arun Chauhan (SigmaHQ). Rule: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_nltest_execution.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: Nltest.EXE Execution",
entity page, dataset version ref-5f2e119d206b, updated 2023-02-03T00:00:00.000Z,
https://ransomware-tracker.com/detections/sigma/903076ff-f442-475a-b667-4f246bcc203b (accessed 2026-11-03).
Underlying source: SigmaHQ rule 903076ff-f442-475a-b667-4f246bcc203b, 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.