Windows PowerShell Process Creation with DInjector Cradle Flags (/am51 and /password)

ATT&CK techniques

Priv Esc → Defense Evasion

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
- T1055Process Injection
Defense Evasion
- T1055Process Injection
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule flags Windows process creation events where the command line contains both DInjector cradle arguments, specifically the flags '/am51' and '/password'. Attackers commonly use in-memory loader/cradle techniques to execute malicious PowerShell payloads while minimizing artifacts and persistence footprint. Detection relies on command-line telemetry from process creation to match these exact parameter strings.

Reporting behind it

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Windows PowerShell Process Creation with DInjector Cradle Flags (/am51 and /password)

Pivot detection · T1055 · 9 related

Changelog

v2

v2
Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
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.

powershell-command-line-uses-dinjector-am51-and-password-flags-on-windows-d78b5d61

title: Windows PowerShell Process Creation with DInjector Cradle Flags (/am51 and /password)
id: 8e517e12-90d4-4fed-8cb7-ef4611cf5bee
status: test
description: This rule flags Windows process creation events where the command line contains both DInjector cradle arguments, specifically the flags '/am51' and '/password'. Attackers commonly use in-memory loader/cradle techniques to execute malicious PowerShell payloads while minimizing artifacts and persistence footprint. Detection relies on command-line telemetry from process creation to match these exact parameter strings.
references:
  - https://web.archive.org/web/20211001064856/https://github.com/snovvcrash/DInjector
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_hktl_dinjector.yml
author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2021-12-07
modified: 2023-02-04
tags:
  - attack.privilege-escalation
  - attack.stealth
  - attack.t1055
logsource:
  category: process_creation
  product: windows
detection:
  selection:
    CommandLine|contains|all:
      - " /am51"
      - " /password"
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Unlikely
level: critical
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: d78b5d61-187d-44b6-bf02-93486a80de5a
    type: derived

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