Possible Virtualbox Driver Deployment or Starting of VMs (via process_creation)

title: Possible Virtualbox Driver Deployment or Starting of VMs (via process_creation)
id: 327ce297-dad0-5cf9-acc9-52e53679225d
status: stable
description: This rule detects threat actors can carry out hostile operations using a virtual instance to avoid detection. This rule is built to detect the registration of the Virtualbox driver or start of a Virtualbox VM.
references:
    - https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1564/
    - https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1564/006/
    - https://news.sophos.com/en-us/2020/05/21/ragnar-locker-ransomware-deploys-virtual-machine-to-dodge-security/
    - https://threatpost.com/maze-ransomware-ragnar-locker-virtual-machine/159350/
author: Huntrule Team
date: 2026-01-09
tags:
    - attack.stealth
    - attack.t1564.006
    - attack.t1564
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection_1:
        CommandLine|contains:
            - 'VBoxRT.dll,RTR3Init'
            - 'VBoxC.dll'
            - 'VBoxDrv.sys'
    selection_2:
        CommandLine|contains:
            - 'startvm'
            - 'controlvm'
    condition: 1 of selection_*
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: low