huntrule

PowerShell Service Persistence via Registry ImagePath on Windows

Flags Windows registry service ImagePath entries that reference PowerShell (powershell/pwsh).

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v1
Product
windows
Category
registry_set
Author
oscd.community, Natalia Shornikova (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2020-10-06
Updated
2026-07-30
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 attempts to persist PowerShell by writing a registry service entry where the service ImagePath contains powershell or pwsh. Attackers may use this technique to launch PowerShell automatically via the Windows Service mechanism. It relies on Windows registry set telemetry capturing the TargetObject path under \Services\ and the ImagePath content in Details.

Reporting behind it

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Malicious PsExec Service Installation via PSEXESVC
Malicious NotPetya Payload Execution via Rundll32 Ordinal Export from Windows Directory
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PowerShell Service Persistence via Registry ImagePath on Windows
Pivot detection · T1569.002 · 9 related

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