Possible Non Interactive PowerShell Process Spawned (via process_creation)

title: Possible Non Interactive PowerShell Process Spawned (via process_creation)
id: 646262e4-c7d6-56d2-afc5-658db36d37cd
status: stable
description: This rule detects non-interactive PowerShell behavior by looking at the "powershell" process with a non-user GUI process such as "explorer.exe" as a parent.
references:
    - https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/001/
    - https://web.archive.org/web/20200925032237/https://threathunterplaybook.com/notebooks/windows/02_execution/WIN-190410151110.html
author: Huntrule Team
date: 2026-07-13
tags:
    - attack.execution
    - attack.t1059.001
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection:
        - Image|endswith:
              - '\powershell.exe'
              - '\pwsh.exe'
        - OriginalFileName:
              - 'PowerShell.EXE'
              - 'pwsh.dll'
    filter_main_generic:
        ParentImage|endswith:
            - ':\Windows\explorer.exe'
            - ':\Windows\System32\CompatTelRunner.exe'
            - ':\Windows\SysWOW64\explorer.exe'
    filter_main_windows_update:
        ParentImage: ':\$WINDOWS.~BT\Sources\SetupHost.exe'
    filter_optional_vscode:
        ParentImage|endswith: '\AppData\Local\Programs\Microsoft VS Code\Code.exe'
        ParentCommandLine|contains: ' --ms-enable-electron-run-as-node '
    filter_optional_terminal:
        ParentImage|contains: ':\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.WindowsTerminal_'
        ParentImage|endswith: '\WindowsTerminal.exe'
    filter_optional_defender:
        ParentImage|endswith: ':\Program Files\Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection\SenseIR.exe'
    condition: selection and not 1 of filter_main_* and not 1 of filter_optional_*
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: low