Suspicious Script Host Execution of JavaScript From a User-Writable Directory (via process_creation)

ATT&CK techniques

Execution

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
- T1059.007JavaScript
- T1204.002Malicious File
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule detects wscript.exe or cscript.exe running a .js or .jse file from a user-writable location such as AppData or Temp, the delivery-and-execution pattern behind JavaScript loaders like Gootloader that arrive through SEO-poisoned downloads. Malicious script-host execution from user directories is a recurring initial-access and execution behavior in the Red Canary Threat Detection Report. Detecting it surfaces the loader stage before it fetches and runs a second-stage payload.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1204.002 — drag to rearrange

Suspicious Windows Script Host Execution of JavaScript from Temporary Archive Extraction Folder (via process_creation)

Suspicious Script Interpreter Executing JavaScript from Temp Folder

Suspicious Double-Extension PDF JavaScript Lure via WScript (via process_creation)

SocGholish Fake Browser Update Script Execution (via process_creation)

Linux process execution indicators for TanStack preinstall supply-chain payloads

Windows Execution of tanstack_runner.js via bun.exe

Windows AppLocker Audit-Only Events Indicating What Would Be Blocked in Enforce Mode

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

Malicious Silent AteraAgent RMM Installation via IntegratorLogin

Suspicious Script Host Execution of JavaScript From a User-Writable Directory (via process_creation)

Pivot detection · T1204.002 · 9 related

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

Full detection rule

Unlock this rule to view and copy it

The detection logic is included with a plan. Everything else — context, mappings and implementation details — stays free on this page.

Sign in for 3 free unlocks

Signing in gives you 3 unlocks to spend on any rule in the library. No card, and they do not expire.

Also included

Unlocked rules convert on this page — to Splunk SPL or Splunk — Raw Index SPL or Microsoft Sentinel KQL or Microsoft Sentinel ASIM ASIM KQL or Microsoft Defender XDR KQL or Elastic Security KQL or Elastic Security Lucene or Elastic Security ES|QL or CrowdStrike Falcon CQL or SentinelOne PowerQuery or Palo Alto Cortex XDR XQL or Carbon Black Cloud Platform Search or Carbon Black EDR Process Search or Google Security Operations UDM Search or IBM QRadar AQL or Sumo Logic Cloud SIEM Rules expression or Rapid7 InsightIDR LEQL or Graylog Search or OpenSearch Lucene or OpenSearch PPL PPL or Grafana Loki LogQL or SQLite SQL or Zircolite SQLite — with the log-source profile the engine picked, the field map it used, and everything it could not express. Converting a rule you have unlocked costs no further credit.

See it run on a free rule →Convert your own rule →