Sigma rule: Potential Dropper Script Execution Via WScript/CScript/MSHTA

Rule

Title

Potential Dropper Script Execution Via WScript/CScript/MSHTA

Status

test

Level

medium

Author

Margaritis Dimitrios (idea), Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), oscd.community, Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), Dave Johnson

Date

2019-01-16

Modified

2026-02-17

File

rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_wscript_cscript_mshta_dropper.yml

Commit

ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects wscript/cscript/mshta executions of scripts located in user directories

Log source

product

windows

category

process_creation

Detection

selection_exec:
    Image|endswith:
        - '\wscript.exe'
        - '\cscript.exe'
        - '\mshta.exe'
selection_paths:
    CommandLine|contains:
        - ':\Perflogs\'
        - ':\Temp\'
        - ':\Tmp\'
        - ':\Users\Public\'
        - ':\Windows\Temp\'
        - '\AppData\Local\Temp\'
        - '\AppData\Roaming\Temp\'
        - '\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\'
        - '\Temporary Internet'
        - '\Windows\Temp'
        - '%LocalAppData%\Temp\'
        - '%TEMP%'
        - '%TMP%'
selection_ext:
    CommandLine|contains:
        - '.hta'
        - '.js'
        - '.jse'
        - '.vba'
        - '.vbe'
        - '.vbs'
        - '.wsf'
        - '.wsh'
condition: all of selection_*

False positives (as the rule lists them)

• Some installers might generate a similar behavior. An initial baseline is required

Tags

• attack.execution
• attack.t1059.005
• attack.t1059.007

MITRE ATT&CK ids this rule names

• T1059.005
• T1059.007

Related rules

• 1e33157c-53b1-41ad-bbcc-780b80b58288 (similar)

References

• https://thedfirreport.com/2023/10/30/netsupport-intrusion-results-in-domain-compromise/
• https://redcanary.com/blog/gootloader/
• https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2025/03/06/malvertising-campaign-leads-to-info-stealers-hosted-on-github/

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_wscript_cscript_mshta_dropper.yml