huntrule

Windows PowerShell Script Block Alerts for Set-Alias and New-Alias Usage

Alerts on PowerShell scripts that create aliases via Set-Alias/New-Alias, a common obfuscation technique, using ScriptBlockText logging.

FreeReviewedSigma · Low · v2
Product
windows
Category
ps_script
Author
frack113 (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2023-01-08
Updated
2026-07-31
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

Execution → Defense Evasion

  1. Recon

  2. Resource Dev

  3. Initial Access

  4. Execution

  5. Persistence

  6. Priv Esc

  7. Defense Evasion

  8. Cred Access

  9. Discovery

  10. Lateral Movement

  11. Collection

  12. C2

  13. Exfiltration

  14. Impact

What it detects

This rule flags PowerShell script block text containing Set-Alias or New-Alias statements. Attackers may use aliases to obscure intent and make malicious scripts harder to read during analysis. It relies on ScriptBlockText from PowerShell script block logging and matches alias-related cmdlet invocations while excluding specific known alias patterns.

Reporting behind it

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Suspicious PowerShell AES Decryption and Reflective Method Invocation in SolarMarker
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Windows PowerShell Script Block Alerts for Set-Alias and New-Alias Usage
Pivot detection · T1027 · 9 related

Changelog

v2
  1. v2
    Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
  2. v1
    No changelog recorded for this version.2026-07-30

Detection content is published as a reviewed draft. Tune thresholds and exclusions against your own telemetry before enabling this rule for alerting.