Suspicious Indirect Command Execution through SFTP ProxyCommand (via process_creation)

title: Suspicious Indirect Command Execution through SFTP ProxyCommand (via process_creation)
id: a5b217fa-c83b-59dd-870f-3ccabb15f142
status: stable
description: This rule detects the use of SFTP.exe to execute commands indirectly via ProxyCommand parameter. Threat actors were seen abusing this legitimate Windows binary to bypass security controls and execute arbitrary commands while evading detection.
references:
    - https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1202/
    - https://lolbas-project.github.io/lolbas/Binaries/Sftp/
    - https://news.sophos.com/en-us/2025/05/09/lumma-stealer-coming-and-going/
author: Huntrule Team
date: 2026-01-27
tags:
    - attack.stealth
    - attack.t1202
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection:
        Image|endswith: '\sftp.exe'
        CommandLine|contains: 'ProxyCommand='
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: medium
regression_tests_path: regression_data/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_lolbin_sftp_indirect_cmd_execution/info.yml