huntrule

Suspicious PowerShell Execution of DSInternals Cmdlets on Windows

Flags PowerShell command lines invoking specific DSInternals cmdlets that can support AD/credential and key material operations.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v1
Product
windows
Category
process_creation
Author
Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), Nounou Mbeiri (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2024-06-26
Updated
2026-07-30
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

Execution

  1. Recon

  2. Resource Dev

  3. Initial Access

  4. Execution

  5. Persistence

  6. Priv Esc

  7. Defense Evasion

  8. Cred Access

  9. Discovery

  10. Lateral Movement

  11. Collection

  12. C2

  13. Exfiltration

  14. Impact

What it detects

This rule identifies Windows process executions where the PowerShell command line contains DSInternals module cmdlets related to Active Directory and related credential/key operations. An attacker may use these cmdlets to enumerate domain objects and keys, transform password material, or interact with stored backup/NTDS artifacts that can support credential access or directory manipulation. Telemetry relies on process creation events with a captured command line that includes the specified DSInternals function names.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1059.001 — drag to rearrange
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Suspicious SharePoint Worker Process Spawning Command Interpreter via ToolShell
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Suspicious PowerShell Execution of DSInternals Cmdlets on Windows
Pivot detection · T1059.001 · 9 related

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