huntrule

PowerShell Certificate Export Cmdlets in Windows Process Creation

Flags PowerShell command lines invoking certificate export cmdlets (Export-PfxCertificate/Export-Certificate) on Windows.

FreeReviewedSigma · Medium · v1
Product
windows
Category
process_creation
Author
Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2023-05-18
Updated
2026-07-30
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

Execution → Cred Access

  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 identifies Windows processes whose command lines include PowerShell cmdlets used to export certificates from the local store: Export-PfxCertificate and Export-Certificate. Certificate export can enable credential access by allowing an attacker to retrieve private key material from a compromised host. It relies on process creation telemetry, specifically the presence of these cmdlet strings in the command line.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1059.001 — drag to rearrange
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Suspicious PowerShell Download of Disguised Payload to ProgramData
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Malicious Script Host Spawning PowerShell in Gootloader Chain
Suspicious PsExec Service Launching Encoded PowerShell Payload
Suspicious PowerShell Remote Script Execution via IEX DownloadString
PowerShell Certificate Export Cmdlets in Windows Process Creation
Pivot detection · T1059.001 · 9 related

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