Malicious Lateral Movement via Impacket WMIExec Command Pattern

ATT&CK techniques

Execution

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
- T1047Windows Management Instrumentation
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule detects the Impacket wmiexec command pattern where cmd.exe runs with /Q /c and redirects output to a loopback ADMIN$ share, observed by Huntress during a targeted intrusion at a marketing research firm. Attackers use this pattern for semi-interactive remote command execution over WMI while capturing output through SMB. The loopback ADMIN$ output redirection is a distinctive signature of Impacket-style lateral movement.

Reporting behind it

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Malicious Lateral Movement via Impacket WMIExec Command Pattern

Pivot detection · T1047 · 9 related

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