Malicious SQL Server Sqlcmd Utility Abuse for Privilege Escalation (via process_creation)
- Product
- windows
- Category
- process_creation
- Author
- HuntRule
- Published
- 2026-08-31
- Updated
- 2026-08-31
ATT&CK techniques
PersistenceRecon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact
What it detects
This rule detects uses sqlcmd utility to escalate privileges or introduce weaknesses.
Reporting behind it
- attack.mitre.orghttps://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1505/001/
- blog.netspi.comhttps://blog.netspi.com/when-databases-attack-hacking-with-the-osql-utility/
- travisaltman.comhttp://travisaltman.com/pen-test-and-hack-microsoft-sql-server-mssql/
- thedfirreport.comhttps://thedfirreport.com/2021/12/13/diavol-ransomware/
- twitter.comhttps://twitter.com/TheDFIRReport/status/1498804631090208777?t=TKMbiJINaLoJqQqXIF5mCA&s=09
- blog.talosintelligence.comhttps://blog.talosintelligence.com/breaking-the-silence-recent-truebot-activity/
- unit42.paloaltonetworks.comhttps://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/espionage-campaign-targets-south-asian-entities/
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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