Suspicious cmd.exe execution from w3wp.exe tied to CentreStack portal.config (Windows process creation)
Alerts when w3wp.exe launches cmd.exe and its command line references \portal\portal.config, suggesting possible IIS app exploitation.
- Product
- windows
- Category
- process_creation
- Author
- Jason Rathbun (Blackpoint Cyber) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
- Published
- 2025-04-17
- Updated
- 2026-07-31
ATT&CK techniques
Execution → PersistenceRecon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact
What it detects
This rule identifies process creation events where cmd.exe is spawned and the parent process is w3wp.exe. It further scopes the match to cases where the parent command line contains a CentreStack portal.config path, suggesting the portal service triggered command shell execution. Such behavior is high risk because it can indicate web-service exploitation leading to OS command execution. Telemetry required includes Windows process creation logs with parent process image/command line and the spawned process image.
Reporting behind it
- nvd.nist.govhttps://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-30406
- blackpointcyber.comhttps://blackpointcyber.com/blog/racing-to-exploit-centrestacks-cve-2025-30406/
- gladinetsupport.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.comhttps://gladinetsupport.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/gladinet/securityadvisory-cve-2005.pdf
- bleepingcomputer.comhttps://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/centrestack-rce-exploited-as-zero-day-to-breach-file-sharing-servers/
- github.comhttps://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules-emerging-threats/2025/Exploits/CVE-2025-30406/proc_creation_win_exploit_cve_2025_30406_centrestack_portal_child_process.yml
Changelog
v5- v5Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
- v4Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
- v3Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
- v2Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
- v1No 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.
title: Suspicious cmd.exe execution from w3wp.exe tied to CentreStack portal.config (Windows process creation)
id: 723b85fa-c5ad-4144-b8dc-6e2f8e85cddd
status: experimental
description: This rule identifies process creation events where cmd.exe is spawned and the parent process is w3wp.exe. It further scopes the match to cases where the parent command line contains a CentreStack portal.config path, suggesting the portal service triggered command shell execution. Such behavior is high risk because it can indicate web-service exploitation leading to OS command execution. Telemetry required includes Windows process creation logs with parent process image/command line and the spawned process image.
references:
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-30406
- https://blackpointcyber.com/blog/racing-to-exploit-centrestacks-cve-2025-30406/
- https://gladinetsupport.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/gladinet/securityadvisory-cve-2005.pdf
- https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/centrestack-rce-exploited-as-zero-day-to-breach-file-sharing-servers/
- https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules-emerging-threats/2025/Exploits/CVE-2025-30406/proc_creation_win_exploit_cve_2025_30406_centrestack_portal_child_process.yml
author: Jason Rathbun (Blackpoint Cyber), Huntrule Team
date: 2025-04-17
tags:
- attack.persistence
- attack.execution
- attack.t1059.003
- attack.t1505.003
- cve.2025-30406
- detection.emerging-threats
logsource:
category: process_creation
product: windows
detection:
selection:
ParentImage|endswith: \w3wp.exe
ParentCommandLine|contains: \portal\portal.config
Image|endswith: \cmd.exe
condition: selection
falsepositives:
- Potentially if other portal services run on w3wp with a apppool\portal\portal.config, if you want to increase scope you could add user IIS APPPOOL\portal.
level: high
license: DRL-1.1
related:
- id: 2d79e371-2a27-42de-87a4-b4213fc72a6a
type: derived