Malicious Emmenhtal JavaScript Loader Spawning Encoded PowerShell

PremiumReviewedSigma · High · v1
Product
windows
Category
process_creation
Author
HuntRule
Published
2026-09-11
Updated
2026-09-11

ATT&CK techniques

Execution → Defense Evasion
  1. Recon

  2. Resource Dev

  3. Initial Access

  4. Persistence

  5. Priv Esc

  6. Cred Access

  7. Discovery

  8. Lateral Movement

  9. Collection

  10. C2

  11. Exfiltration

  12. Impact

What it detects

This rule detects wscript.exe or cscript.exe executing a .js file and spawning PowerShell with an encoded command. The Emmenhtal loader used in this MaaS operation against Ukrainian entities runs JavaScript such as Work.js via WScript.Shell to launch encoded PowerShell that fetches the Amadey payload, so this script-to-encoded-PowerShell chain is the core delivery behavior.

Related detections9 linkedT1059.001 — drag to rearrange
Suspicious Python Interpreter Launching Encoded PowerShell via subprocess
Suspicious Script Host Spawning PowerShell With Bypass And Hidden Execution
Suspicious PS1Bot PowerShell Payload Written to ProgramData (via file_event)
Malicious Non-Interactive Encoded PowerShell Stager (via process_creation)
Suspicious Hidden PowerShell Executing Substring of Dropped File
PowerShell Encoded or Download-Cradle Command Line (via process_creation)
Obfuscated Encoded PowerShell Payload Deployed - PowerShell (via powershell)
Suspicious PowerShell AES Decryption and Reflective Method Invocation in SolarMarker
Suspicious PowerShell Invoking Remote HTA via Environment Variable Masquerading (via process_creation)
Malicious Emmenhtal JavaScript Loader Spawning Encoded PowerShell
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.