Possible Suspicious Windows Feature Enabled (via ps_script)
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
SigmamediumWindowsv1
sigma
possible-suspicious-windows-feature-enabled-via-ps-script
title: Possible Suspicious Windows Feature Enabled (via ps_script)
id: 9aff567e-06c9-5619-be7a-a5fec779b804
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: 2026-03-11
tags:
- attack.stealth
- attack.execution
- attack.t1059.001
logsource:
product: windows
category: ps_script
definition: 'Requirements: Script Block Logging must be enabled'
detection:
selection_cmd:
ScriptBlockText|contains|all:
- 'Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature'
- '-Online'
- '-FeatureName'
selection_feature:
ScriptBlockText|contains:
- 'TelnetServer'
- 'Internet-Explorer-Optional-amd64'
- 'TFTP'
- 'SMB1Protocol'
- 'Client-ProjFS'
- 'Microsoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux'
condition: all of selection_*
falsepositives:
- Unknown
level: medium
Known false positives
- Unknown
Detection content is published as a reviewed draft. Tune thresholds and exclusions against your own telemetry before enabling this rule for alerting.