Suspicious Ransomware Fan-Out Deployment via PsExec Spread (Qilin)

ATT&CK techniques

Lateral Movement

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
- T1021.002SMB/Windows Admin Shares
- T1570Lateral Tool Transfer
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule detects execution of a deployment tool with a spread argument used by the Qilin group to push its ransomware encryptor across hosts. Automated fan-out deployment over remote channels is a lateral-movement and impact accelerant. The spread flag distinguishes mass deployment from routine remote administration.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1021.002 — drag to rearrange

Malicious Remote Process Execution From an SMB Admin Share (via process_creation)

Suspicious PsExec Copying Payload To Windows Temp (via process_creation)

Windows rundll32.exe execution with no parameters or arguments

Windows Service Installation (EID 4697) for SMB PsExec by Metasploit or Impacket

Suspicious Impacket smbexec Command Execution Pattern

Malicious Impacket Wmiexec Remote Command Execution Pattern

Suspicious Remote Admin Share Execution via Conhost

Chisel Reverse Tunnel Tool Execution from Temporary Directory

Malicious Network Share Manipulation via Commandline (via process_creation)

Suspicious Ransomware Fan-Out Deployment via PsExec Spread (Qilin)

Pivot detection · T1021.002 · 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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