In-Memory Phantom Stealer In-Memory Process Injection via PowerShell Add-Type API Chain (via ps_script)

PremiumReviewedSigma · High · v1
Product
windows
Category
ps_script
Author
HuntRule
Published
2026-11-07
Updated
2026-11-07

ATT&CK techniques

Execution → Defense Evasion
  1. Recon

  2. Resource Dev

  3. Initial Access

  4. Persistence

  5. Defense Evasion

  6. Cred Access

  7. Discovery

  8. Lateral Movement

  9. Collection

  10. C2

  11. Exfiltration

  12. Impact

What it detects

This rule detects PowerShell that compiles inline C# via Add-Type and calls the classic remote-injection Windows API chain used by Phantom Stealer to load shellcode into a benign host process such as explorer.exe. Adversaries leverage this fileless injection to run credential-theft code under a trusted process while evading disk-based detection, making early detection critical for stopping data collection.

Related detections9 linkedT1059.001 — drag to rearrange
Suspicious word_update.exe Spawning Command Shell in Remcos Chain (via process_creation)
Suspicious PowerShell Shellcode Loader via Function Pointer Delegate
Malicious PowerShell Runtime Loaded Outside PowerShell Host
Suspicious AutoIt Interpreter Launched by Script Host or Shell
Windows PowerShell Base64-encoded shellcode in ScriptBlockText
PowerShell Hidden DownloadString Execution via ClickFix Fake CAPTCHA (via process_creation)
IDAT Loader Execution via PowerShell Running update.ps1 from WindowsApps (via process_creation)
WerFault Spawned by Internet Explorer as Cobalt Strike Injection Target (via process_creation)
RokRAT LNK Command Locating PowerShell via Directory Wildcard Search (via process_creation)
In-Memory Phantom Stealer In-Memory Process Injection via PowerShell Add-Type API Chain (via ps_script)
Pivot detection · T1059.001 · 9 related

Detection content is published as a reviewed draft. Tune thresholds and exclusions against your own telemetry before enabling this rule for alerting.