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Windows Script Interpreter Executing Process via WMI

Elastic Stack Serverless Security

Identifies use of the built-in Windows script interpreters (cscript.exe or wscript.exe) being used to execute a process via Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI). This may be indicative of malicious activity.

Rule type: eql

Rule indices:

  • winlogbeat-*
  • logs-endpoint.events.*
  • logs-windows.*

Severity: medium

Risk score: 47

Runs every: 5m

Searches indices from: now-9m (https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/common-options.html#date-math[Date Math format], see also Additional look-back time)

Maximum alerts per execution: 100

References: None

Tags:

  • Elastic
  • Host
  • Windows
  • Threat Detection
  • Initial Access

Version: 4

Rule authors:

  • Elastic

Rule license: Elastic License v2

Rule query

sequence by host.id with maxspan = 5s
    [any where (event.category == "library" or (event.category == "process" and event.action : "Image loaded*")) and
     (dll.name : "wmiutils.dll" or file.name : "wmiutils.dll") and process.name : ("wscript.exe", "cscript.exe")]
    [process where event.type in ("start", "process_started") and
     process.parent.name : "wmiprvse.exe" and
     user.domain != "NT AUTHORITY" and
     (process.pe.original_file_name :
        (
          "cscript.exe",
          "wscript.exe",
          "PowerShell.EXE",
          "Cmd.Exe",
          "MSHTA.EXE",
          "RUNDLL32.EXE",
          "REGSVR32.EXE",
          "MSBuild.exe",
          "InstallUtil.exe",
          "RegAsm.exe",
          "RegSvcs.exe",
          "msxsl.exe",
          "CONTROL.EXE",
          "EXPLORER.EXE",
          "Microsoft.Workflow.Compiler.exe",
          "msiexec.exe"
        ) or
      process.executable : ("C:\\Users\\*.exe", "C:\\ProgramData\\*.exe")
     )
    ]

Framework: MITRE ATT&CKTM