huntrule

Windows PowerShell nslookup DNS TXT Download Cradle

Identifies PowerShell launching an nslookup-based cradle that queries TXT records with HTTP-related nslookup parameters.

FreeReviewedSigma · Medium · v2
Product
windows
Category
ps_classic_start
Author
Sai Prashanth Pulisetti @pulisettis, Aishwarya Singam (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2022-12-10
Updated
2026-07-31
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

Execution

  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 PowerShell command content that uses nslookup with TXT-query patterns and an embedded payload index marker ('[1]'). Attackers may use DNS TXT records to stage or retrieve follow-on code while blending into seemingly normal name-resolution activity. Detection relies on Windows PowerShell classic start telemetry capturing the command text for nslookup usage and the specific TXT/HTTP query arguments.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1059.001 — drag to rearrange
Suspicious Script Interpreter Spawned by Explorer via ClickFix Run Dialog (via process_creation)
Suspicious PowerShell Download Cradle via ClickFix Fake CAPTCHA (via process_creation)
Suspicious PowerShell EncodedCommand Spawned From Command Shell via Process Creation
Suspicious Script Download via Curl and PowerShell by Dohdoor
Malicious Mass Hyper-V Virtual Machine Shutdown via PowerShell by Kraken Ransomware
Suspicious PowerShell WebClient DownloadFile of Archive Payload (UAT-7237)
Suspicious SharePoint Worker Process Spawning Command Interpreter via ToolShell
Malicious Emmenhtal JavaScript Loader Spawning Encoded PowerShell
Suspicious Python Interpreter Launching Encoded PowerShell via subprocess
Windows PowerShell nslookup DNS TXT Download Cradle
Pivot detection · T1059.001 · 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.