Suspicious PowerShell Spawned by Windows Script Host from HTML Smuggling (via process_creation)

ATT&CK techniques

Execution

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
- T1059.001PowerShell
- T1059.005Visual Basic
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule detects PowerShell launched by wscript or cscript, matching the IcedID chain where HTML smuggling dropped a Windows Script File that ran VBScript and then PowerShell. The PowerShell stage downloaded and executed the IcedID loader.

Reporting behind it

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Windows AppLocker Audit-Mode Events Indicate Files Would Have Been Blocked

Windows AppLocker Blocked Application, Script, MSI, or Packaged-App Execution

Windows Process Creation: Suspicious Children Spawned by HTML Help (hh.exe)

Windows: Alert on Suspicious HH.EXE Process Execution

Suspicious PowerShell Spawned by Windows Script Host from HTML Smuggling (via process_creation)

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.

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