PowerShell Scripts Calling WinAPI DLLs on Windows

Detects PowerShell script blocks that reference WinAPI-related Windows DLLs such as kernel32.dll and ntdll.dll.

FreeReviewedSigma · Medium · v5

Product: windows
Category: ps_script
Author: Nikita Nazarov, oscd.community, Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published: 2023-07-21
Updated: 2026-07-31

ATT&CK techniques

Execution

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
- T1059.001PowerShell
- T1106Native API
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule flags PowerShell script block content that includes references to common Windows system DLLs such as Advapi32.dll, kernel32.dll, KernelBase.dll, ntdll.dll, secur32.dll, and user32.dll. Attackers may invoke WinAPI functionality directly from scripts to blend in or bypass detections focused on standard PowerShell activity. It relies on PowerShell Script Block Logging telemetry that records script block text for these DLL name matches.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1059.001 — drag to rearrange

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PowerShell Scripts Calling WinAPI DLLs on Windows

Pivot detection · T1059.001 · 9 related

Changelog

v5
Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
v4
Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
v3
Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
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-scripts-calling-winapi-dlls-on-windows-19d65a1c

title: PowerShell Scripts Calling WinAPI DLLs on Windows
id: 05dcf360-2100-40cf-862e-5d06d39e86c0
related:
  - id: ba3f5c1b-6272-4119-9dbd-0bc8d21c2702
    type: similar
  - id: 03d83090-8cba-44a0-b02f-0b756a050306
    type: similar
  - id: 9f22ccd5-a435-453b-af96-bf99cbb594d4
    type: similar
  - id: 19d65a1c-8540-4140-8062-8eb00db0bba5
    type: derived
status: test
description: This rule flags PowerShell script block content that includes references to common Windows system DLLs such as Advapi32.dll, kernel32.dll, KernelBase.dll, ntdll.dll, secur32.dll, and user32.dll. Attackers may invoke WinAPI functionality directly from scripts to blend in or bypass detections focused on standard PowerShell activity. It relies on PowerShell Script Block Logging telemetry that records script block text for these DLL name matches.
references:
  - https://speakerdeck.com/heirhabarov/hunting-for-powershell-abuse
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules-threat-hunting/windows/powershell/powershell_script/posh_ps_win_api_functions_access.yml
author: Nikita Nazarov, oscd.community, Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2023-07-21
tags:
  - attack.execution
  - attack.t1059.001
  - attack.t1106
  - detection.threat-hunting
logsource:
  product: windows
  category: ps_script
  definition: "Requirements: Script Block Logging must be enabled"
detection:
  selection:
    ScriptBlockText|contains:
      - Advapi32.dll
      - kernel32.dll
      - KernelBase.dll
      - ntdll.dll
      - secur32.dll
      - user32.dll
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Carbon PowerShell Module (https://github.com/webmd-health-services/Carbon)
  - Chocolatey scripts
level: medium
license: DRL-1.1

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