Sigma rule: Powershell Execute Batch Script

Rule

Title

Powershell Execute Batch Script

Status

test

Level

medium

Author

frack113

Date

2022-01-02

File

rules/windows/powershell/powershell_script/posh_ps_susp_execute_batch_script.yml

Commit

ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Adversaries may abuse the Windows command shell for execution.
The Windows command shell ([cmd](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0106)) is the primary command prompt on Windows systems.
The Windows command prompt can be used to control almost any aspect of a system, with various permission levels required for different subsets of commands.
Batch files (ex: .bat or .cmd) also provide the shell with a list of sequential commands to run, as well as normal scripting operations such as conditionals and loops.
Common uses of batch files include long or repetitive tasks, or the need to run the same set of commands on multiple system

Log source

product

windows

category

ps_script

definition

Requirements: Script Block Logging must be enabled

Detection

selection_start:
    ScriptBlockText|contains: Start-Process
selection_batch:
    ScriptBlockText|contains:
        - '.cmd'
        - '.bat'
condition: all of selection_*

False positives (as the rule lists them)

• Legitimate administration script

Tags

• attack.execution
• attack.t1059.003

MITRE ATT&CK ids this rule names

• T1059.003

References

• https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1059.003/T1059.003.md#atomic-test-1---create-and-execute-batch-script

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/powershell/powershell_script/posh_ps_susp_execute_batch_script.yml