Sigma rule: Code Execution via Pcwutl.dll

A detection rule from the SigmaHQ repository, shown as its author published it. Dataset version ref-31bfcd71d5fa, updated 2023-02-09T00:00:00.000Z.

Rule

Title
Code Execution via Pcwutl.dll
Status
test
Level
medium
Author
Julia Fomina, oscd.community
Date
2020-10-05
Modified
2023-02-09
File
rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_lolbin_pcwutl.yml
Commit
ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects launch of executable by calling the LaunchApplication function from pcwutl.dll library.

Log source

product
windows
category
process_creation

Detection

selection_img:
    - Image|endswith: '\rundll32.exe'
    - OriginalFileName: 'RUNDLL32.EXE'
selection_cli:
    CommandLine|contains|all:
        - 'pcwutl'
        - 'LaunchApplication'
condition: all of selection_*

False positives (as the rule lists them)

  • Use of Program Compatibility Troubleshooter Helper

Tags

  • attack.stealth
  • attack.t1218.011

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_lolbin_pcwutl.yml

Sources and licences

  • SigmaHQ

    "Code Execution via Pcwutl.dll" by Julia Fomina, oscd.community (SigmaHQ). Rule: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_lolbin_pcwutl.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: Code Execution via Pcwutl.dll",
entity page, dataset version ref-31bfcd71d5fa, updated 2023-02-09T00:00:00.000Z,
https://ransomware-tracker.com/detections/sigma/9386d78a-7207-4048-9c9f-a93a7c2d1c05 (accessed 2026-11-03).
Underlying source: SigmaHQ rule 9386d78a-7207-4048-9c9f-a93a7c2d1c05, 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.