Sigma rule: Powershell Detect Virtualization Environment

Rule

Title

Powershell Detect Virtualization Environment

Status

test

Level

medium

Author

frack113, Duc.Le-GTSC

Date

2021-08-03

Modified

2022-03-03

File

rules/windows/powershell/powershell_script/posh_ps_detect_vm_env.yml

Commit

ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Adversaries may employ various system checks to detect and avoid virtualization and analysis environments.
This may include changing behaviors based on the results of checks for the presence of artifacts indicative of a virtual machine environment (VME) or sandbox

Log source

product

windows

category

ps_script

definition

Requirements: Script Block Logging must be enabled

Detection

selection_action:
    ScriptBlockText|contains:
        - Get-WmiObject
        - gwmi
selection_module:
    ScriptBlockText|contains:
        - MSAcpi_ThermalZoneTemperature
        - Win32_ComputerSystem
condition: all of selection*

False positives (as the rule lists them)

• Unknown

Tags

• attack.discovery
• attack.stealth
• attack.t1497.001

MITRE ATT&CK ids this rule names

• T1497.001

References

• https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1497.001/T1497.001.md
• https://techgenix.com/malicious-powershell-scripts-evade-detection/

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_detect_vm_env.yml