Sigma rule: Powershell File and Directory Discovery

A detection rule from the SigmaHQ repository, shown as its author published it. Dataset version ref-55e9fd465e9d, updated 2023-12-11T00:00:00.000Z.

SigmaHQ marks this rule as deprecated.

Rule

Title
Powershell File and Directory Discovery
Status
deprecated
Level
low
Author
frack113
Date
2021/12/15
Modified
2023/12/11
File
deprecated/windows/posh_ps_file_and_directory_discovery.yml
Commit
ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Adversaries may enumerate files and directories or may search in specific locations of a host or network share for certain information within a file system.
Adversaries may use the information from [File and Directory Discovery](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1083) during automated discovery to shape follow-on behaviors,
including whether or not the adversary fully infects the target and/or attempts specific actions.

Log source

product
windows
category
ps_script
definition
Requirements: Script Block Logging must be enabled

Detection

selection:
    ScriptBlockText|contains:
        - ls
        - get-childitem
        - gci
recurse:
    ScriptBlockText|contains: '-recurse'
condition: selection and recurse

False positives (as the rule lists them)

  • Unknown

Tags

  • attack.discovery
  • attack.t1083

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/deprecated/windows/posh_ps_file_and_directory_discovery.yml

Sources and licences

  • SigmaHQ

    "Powershell File and Directory Discovery" by frack113 (SigmaHQ). Rule: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/deprecated/windows/posh_ps_file_and_directory_discovery.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: Powershell File and Directory Discovery",
entity page, dataset version ref-55e9fd465e9d, updated 2023-12-11T00:00:00.000Z,
https://ransomware-tracker.com/detections/sigma/d23f2ba5-9da0-4463-8908-8ee47f614bb9 (accessed 2026-11-03).
Underlying source: SigmaHQ rule d23f2ba5-9da0-4463-8908-8ee47f614bb9, 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.