Sigma rule: Suspicious Shells Spawn by Java Utility Keytool

Rule

Title

Suspicious Shells Spawn by Java Utility Keytool

Status

test

Level

high

Author

Andreas Hunkeler (@Karneades)

Date

2021-12-22

Modified

2023-01-21

File

rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_java_keytool_susp_child_process.yml

Commit

ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects suspicious shell spawn from Java utility keytool process (e.g. adselfservice plus exploitation)

Log source

product

windows

category

process_creation

Detection

selection:
    ParentImage|endswith: '\keytool.exe'
    Image|endswith:
        - '\cmd.exe'
        - '\sh.exe'
        - '\bash.exe'
        - '\powershell.exe'
        - '\pwsh.exe'
        - '\schtasks.exe'
        - '\certutil.exe'
        - '\whoami.exe'
        - '\bitsadmin.exe'
        - '\wscript.exe'
        - '\cscript.exe'
        - '\scrcons.exe'
        - '\regsvr32.exe'
        - '\hh.exe'
        - '\wmic.exe'
        - '\mshta.exe'
        - '\rundll32.exe'
        - '\forfiles.exe'
        - '\scriptrunner.exe'
        - '\mftrace.exe'
        - '\AppVLP.exe'
        - '\systeminfo.exe'
        - '\reg.exe'
        - '\query.exe'
condition: selection

False positives (as the rule lists them)

• Unknown

Tags

• attack.initial-access
• attack.persistence
• attack.privilege-escalation

References

• https://redcanary.com/blog/intelligence-insights-december-2021
• https://www.synacktiv.com/en/publications/how-to-exploit-cve-2021-40539-on-manageengine-adselfservice-plus.html

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_java_keytool_susp_child_process.yml