Suspicious SQL Server Payload Staging via bcp queryout (via process_creation)

PremiumReviewedSigma · Medium · v1
Product
windows
Category
process_creation
Author
HuntRule
Published
2026-07-09
Updated
2026-08-28

ATT&CK techniques

Execution
  1. Recon

  2. Resource Dev

  3. Initial Access

  4. Persistence

  5. Priv Esc

  6. Defense Evasion

  7. Cred Access

  8. Discovery

  9. Lateral Movement

  10. Collection

  11. C2

  12. Exfiltration

  13. Impact

What it detects

This rule detects the SQL Server bulk copy program launched from the sqlservr process to export binary data from a database table to a file using the queryout parameter. The STAC6451 cluster abused exposed SQL Server instances and xp_cmdshell to stage Mimic ransomware and supporting tools on disk through bcp queryout.

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