Sigma rule: Suspicious PowerShell Invocation From Script Engines

Rule

Title

Suspicious PowerShell Invocation From Script Engines

Status

test

Level

medium

Author

Florian Roth (Nextron Systems)

Date

2019-01-16

Modified

2023-01-05

File

rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_powershell_script_engine_parent.yml

Commit

ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects suspicious powershell invocations from interpreters or unusual programs

Log source

product

windows

category

process_creation

Detection

selection:
    ParentImage|endswith:
        - '\wscript.exe'
        - '\cscript.exe'
    Image|endswith:
        - '\powershell.exe'
        - '\pwsh.exe'
filter_health_service:
    CurrentDirectory|contains: '\Health Service State\'
condition: selection and not 1 of filter_*

False positives (as the rule lists them)

• Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM)
• Other scripts

Tags

• attack.execution
• attack.t1059.001

MITRE ATT&CK ids this rule names

• T1059.001

References

• https://www.securitynewspaper.com/2017/03/20/attackers-leverage-excel-powershell-dns-latest-non-malware-attack/

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_powershell_script_engine_parent.yml