Suspicious Detection of PowerShell Execution through Sqlps.exe (via process_creation)

title: Suspicious Detection of PowerShell Execution through Sqlps.exe (via process_creation)
id: f59c96da-9af3-5938-8f72-1160991f5bae
status: stable
description: This rule detects this rule detects execution of a PowerShell code through the sqlps.exe utility, which is included in the standard set of utilities supplied with the MSSQL Server. Script blocks are not logged in this case, so this utility helps to bypass protection mechanisms based on the analysis of these logs.
references:
    - https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1127/
    - https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/001/
    - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/tools/sqlps-utility?view=sql-server-ver15
    - https://lolbas-project.github.io/lolbas/OtherMSBinaries/Sqlps/
    - https://twitter.com/bryon_/status/975835709587075072
author: 'Huntrule Team'
date: 2026-06-30
tags:
    - attack.execution
    - attack.stealth
    - attack.t1059.001
    - attack.t1127
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection_parent:
        ParentImage|endswith: '\sqlps.exe'
    selection_image:
        - Image|endswith: '\sqlps.exe'
        - OriginalFileName: 'sqlps.exe'
    filter_image:
        ParentImage|endswith: '\sqlagent.exe'
    condition: selection_parent or (selection_image and not filter_image)
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: medium