Detection rules › Sigma
Powershell Execute Batch Script
Adversaries may abuse the Windows command shell for execution. The Windows command shell (cmd) 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
MITRE ATT&CK coverage
| Tactic | Techniques |
|---|---|
| Execution | T1059.003 Command and Scripting Interpreter: Windows Command Shell |
Event coverage
| Provider | Event ID | Title |
|---|---|---|
| PowerShell | 4104 | Creating Scriptblock text (MessageNumber of MessageTotal). |
Stages and Predicates
Stage 1: all of selection_start
ScriptBlockText|contains: Start-Process
Stage 2: all of selection_batch
or:
ScriptBlockText|contains: .bat
ScriptBlockText|contains: .cmd
Indicators
Each row is a field, operator, and value that the rule matches. The corpus column counts how many other rules in the catalog look for the same combination: high numbers point to widely-used, community-vetted indicators. Blank or 1 shows that the indicator is specific to this rule.
| Field | Kind | Values |
|---|---|---|
ScriptBlockText | match |
|
Neighbors
Stricter alternatives (narrower than this rule)
The rules below may be useful if you find the current rule is too noisy / lacks specificity.
- Powershell Store File In Alternate Data Stream (adds 3 filters)
- Suspicious Start-Process PassThru (adds 2 filters)
Broader alternatives (more inclusive than this rule)
These rules match a superset of what this rule catches. They cover the same events plus more. Use them if you want wider coverage and can absorb more false positives.
- Potential PowerShell Obfuscation via Invalid Escape Sequences (drops 1 filter this rule applies)
- Potential PowerShell Obfuscation via Backtick-Escaped Variable Expansion (drops 1 filter this rule applies)
- Potential PowerShell Obfuscation via Character Array Reconstruction (drops 1 filter this rule applies)
- Potential PowerShell Obfuscation via Concatenated Dynamic Command Invocation (drops 1 filter this rule applies)
- Potential PowerShell Obfuscation via High Numeric Character Proportion (drops 1 filter this rule applies)
- Potential Dynamic IEX Reconstruction via Environment Variables (drops 1 filter this rule applies)
- Dynamic IEX Reconstruction via Method String Access (drops 1 filter this rule applies)
- PowerShell Obfuscation via Negative Index String Reversal (drops 1 filter this rule applies)
- Potential PowerShell Obfuscation via Reverse Keywords (drops 1 filter this rule applies)
- Potential PowerShell Obfuscation via String Concatenation (drops 1 filter this rule applies)
- Potential PowerShell Obfuscation via String Reordering (drops 1 filter this rule applies)
- Potential PowerShell Obfuscation via Special Character Overuse (drops 1 filter this rule applies)