PowerShell WMI Service Enumeration for Unquoted Service Path Recon

Flags PowerShell WMI queries for Win32_Service fields to enumerate potential unquoted service path issues.

FreeReviewedSigma · Medium · v2

Product: windows
Category: ps_script
Author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published: 2022-06-20
Updated: 2026-07-31

ATT&CK techniques

Execution

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
- T1047Windows Management Instrumentation
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule flags PowerShell script blocks that use WMI queries (Get-WmiObject/gwmi) targeting Win32_Service fields used for service path analysis. Attackers and testers use this to enumerate service properties such as Name, DisplayName, PathName, and StartMode to identify potentially exploitable unquoted service paths. Telemetry relies on PowerShell Script Block Logging capturing the query and selected field names in the script block text.

Reporting behind it

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Suspicious Remote Process Creation via WMIC Process Call Create (via process_creation)

Suspicious System Reconnaissance via WMI Command-Line Queries (via process_creation)

Malicious Impacket WMIexec Process Execution (via process_creation)

Suspicious Child Process Spawned by WMI Provider Host (via process_creation)

Malicious WMI Spwaning PowerShell Process - WMImplant (via process_creation)

PowerShell WMI Service Enumeration for Unquoted Service Path Recon

Pivot detection · T1047 · 9 related

Changelog

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-wmi-service-enumeration-for-unquoted-service-path-recon-09658312

title: PowerShell WMI Service Enumeration for Unquoted Service Path Recon
id: 80b07b9c-b5ae-410a-8d74-cc0fa7497364
related:
  - id: 68bcd73b-37ef-49cb-95fc-edc809730be6
    type: similar
  - id: 09658312-bc27-4a3b-91c5-e49ab9046d1b
    type: derived
status: test
description: This rule flags PowerShell script blocks that use WMI queries (Get-WmiObject/gwmi) targeting Win32_Service fields used for service path analysis. Attackers and testers use this to enumerate service properties such as Name, DisplayName, PathName, and StartMode to identify potentially exploitable unquoted service paths. Telemetry relies on PowerShell Script Block Logging capturing the query and selected field names in the script block text.
references:
  - https://github.com/nccgroup/redsnarf/blob/35949b30106ae543dc6f2bc3f1be10c6d9a8d40e/redsnarf.py
  - https://github.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/Creds/blob/eac23d67f7f90c7fc8e3130587d86158c22aa398/PowershellScripts/jaws-enum.ps1
  - https://www.absolomb.com/2018-01-26-Windows-Privilege-Escalation-Guide/
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/powershell/powershell_script/posh_ps_wmi_unquoted_service_search.yml
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2022-06-20
modified: 2022-11-25
tags:
  - attack.execution
  - attack.t1047
logsource:
  product: windows
  category: ps_script
  definition: "Requirements: Script Block Logging must be enabled"
detection:
  selection:
    ScriptBlockText|contains:
      - "Get-WmiObject "
      - "gwmi "
    ScriptBlockText|contains|all:
      - " Win32_Service "
      - Name
      - DisplayName
      - PathName
      - StartMode
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Unknown
level: medium
license: DRL-1.1

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