Possible Suspicious Windows Feature Enabled - ProcCreation (via process_creation)

title: Possible Suspicious Windows Feature Enabled - ProcCreation (via process_creation)
id: 5e6afeaf-53ce-505f-82cf-feba7cf728b0
status: stable
description: This rule detects use of the built-in PowerShell cmdlet "Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature" used as a Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool. Similar to DISM.exe, this cmdlet is leveraged to enumerate, install, uninstall, configure, and update features and packages in Windows images
references:
    - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/dism/enable-windowsoptionalfeature?view=windowsserver2022-ps
    - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/projfs/enabling-windows-projected-file-system
    - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/install-on-server
author: Huntrule Team
date: 2026-07-24
tags:
    - attack.stealth
    - attack.execution
    - attack.t1059.001
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection_cmd:
        CommandLine|contains|all:
            - 'Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature'
            - '-Online'
            - '-FeatureName'
    selection_feature:
        CommandLine|contains:
            - 'TelnetServer'
            - 'Internet-Explorer-Optional-amd64'
            - 'TFTP'
            - 'SMB1Protocol'
            - 'Client-ProjFS'
            - 'Microsoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux'
    condition: all of selection_*
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: medium