Malicious Emmenhtal JavaScript Loader Spawning Encoded PowerShell
- Product
- windows
- Category
- process_creation
- Author
- HuntRule
- Published
- 2026-09-11
- Updated
- 2026-09-11
ATT&CK techniques
Execution → Defense EvasionRecon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
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.
Reporting behind it
- blog.talosintelligence.comhttps://blog.talosintelligence.com/maas-operation-using-emmenhtal-and-amadey-linked-to-threats-against-ukrainian-entities/
- attack.mitre.orghttps://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/007/
- attack.mitre.orghttps://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/001/
- attack.mitre.orghttps://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1027/
Detection content is published as a reviewed draft. Tune thresholds and exclusions against your own telemetry before enabling this rule for alerting.
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