Suspicious Scheduled Task Executing VBScript via Process Creation

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

ATT&CK techniques

Execution → Priv Esc
  1. Recon

  2. Resource Dev

  3. Initial Access

  4. Defense Evasion

  5. Cred Access

  6. Discovery

  7. Lateral Movement

  8. Collection

  9. C2

  10. Exfiltration

  11. Impact

What it detects

This rule detects creation of a scheduled task that runs VBScript through wscript or cscript, matching UAC-0099 persistence that fires a VBS loader every few minutes to relaunch a hidden PowerShell beacon. Adversaries chain the task scheduler with script hosts for resilient, low-profile persistence.

Related detections9 linkedT1053.005 — drag to rearrange
Suspicious Scheduled Task Running PowerShell Every Minute (via process_creation)
Malicious Script Host Spawning PowerShell With Invoke-Expression (via process_creation)
Suspicious MSHTA VBScript WScript Shell Execution
Agent Tesla Persistence via Realtek Named Scheduled Task Batch
Suspicious Scheduled Task Creation Named test3 by Salt Typhoon
Suspicious MeshAgent Persistence via Scheduled Task MeshUserTask (via process_creation)
Malicious PureMiner Persistence Executable in AppData HResult Folder
Suspicious Kimsuky Scheduled Task Impersonating Google Update CGI (via process_creation)
Malicious Scheduled Persistent Task with SYSTEM Privileges Creation (via process_creation)
Suspicious Scheduled Task Executing VBScript via Process Creation
Pivot detection · T1053.005 · 9 related

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