Suspicious msxsl Execution with Text Script Dropper

PremiumReviewedSigma · High · v1
Product
windows
Category
process_creation
Author
HuntRule
Published
2026-08-05
Updated
2026-08-28

ATT&CK techniques

Defense Evasion
  1. Recon

  2. Resource Dev

  3. Initial Access

  4. Execution

  5. Persistence

  6. Priv Esc

  7. Cred Access

  8. Discovery

  9. Lateral Movement

  10. Collection

  11. C2

  12. Exfiltration

  13. Impact

What it detects

This rule detects the msxsl utility being used to process a txt file as a script transformation. More_eggs operators abused msxsl with txt hosted JScript droppers to execute code outside normal script interpreters. This LOLBIN abuse bypasses application controls that only watch common scripting hosts.

Related detections5 linkedT1220 — drag to rearrange
XSL Script Processing via WMIC or MSXSL (via process_creation)
Malicious Remote XSL Script Execution via WMIC Squiblytwo Technique
Windows msxsl.exe Execution with HTTP Keyword in Command Line
Windows WMIC loading JavaScript/VBScript engine libraries
Windows Msxsl.exe Execution
Suspicious msxsl Execution with Text Script Dropper
Pivot detection · T1220 · 5 related

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