huntrule

Windows Security Event 4697: Obfuscated PowerShell Invocation Through Stdin

Alerts on Service creation events where the service command line includes stdin-style PowerShell obfuscation indicators.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v2
Product
windows
Service
security
Author
Nikita Nazarov, oscd.community (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2020-10-12
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 Windows service installation events (Event ID 4697) where the service file command line appears to include PowerShell invocation patterns combined with standard input style input placeholders. Attackers often use obfuscated PowerShell to evade detection while executing payloads, and abusing stdin can help deliver encoded or hidden commands. The detection relies on telemetry from the Windows Security log (System Security Extension auditing for EID 4697) capturing the service file name/command line string.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1027 — drag to rearrange
Malicious FIN7 Powertrash Loader Execution via Obfuscated PowerShell (via process_creation)
Suspicious XOR Obfuscated PowerShell from ClickFix Distribution
Suspicious PowerShell Executing Code from Environment Variable (via process_creation)
Suspicious In-Memory Runspace Execution via PowerShell Script Block
Suspicious Encoded PowerShell Using Base64 Stream Decompression Routines (via process_creation)
Suspicious PowerShell In-Memory Execution with AES Decryption
Suspicious Encoded PowerShell Command Execution
Suspicious PEAKLIGHT Memory-Only PowerShell Downloader Flags (via process_creation)
Obfuscated PowerShell Script: Indirect Cmdlet Execution via ExportedCommands Array Index
Windows Security Event 4697: Obfuscated PowerShell Invocation Through Stdin
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.