Windows conhost.exe Path Traversal in Process Command Line

ATT&CK techniques

Execution

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
- T1059.003Windows Command Shell
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule flags process creation events where conhost.exe appears in the parent command line and the child command line contains a path traversal sequence ('/../../'). Path traversal can indicate command/argument confusion that attackers may leverage to redirect execution or hijack arguments. Detection relies on process creation telemetry with parent and child command line fields.

Reporting behind it

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Windows conhost.exe Path Traversal in Process Command Line

Pivot detection · T1059.003 · 9 related

Changelog

v2

v2
Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
v1
No changelog recorded for this version.2026-07-30

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

windows-conhost-exe-path-traversal-in-command-line-ee5e119b

title: Windows conhost.exe Path Traversal in Process Command Line
id: 1ae3890e-3182-4bec-a0f4-53a6d17e43c3
status: test
description: This rule flags process creation events where conhost.exe appears in the parent command line and the child command line contains a path traversal sequence ('/../../'). Path traversal can indicate command/argument confusion that attackers may leverage to redirect execution or hijack arguments. Detection relies on process creation telemetry with parent and child command line fields.
references:
  - https://pentestlab.blog/2020/07/06/indirect-command-execution/
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_conhost_path_traversal.yml
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2022-06-14
tags:
  - attack.execution
  - attack.t1059.003
logsource:
  category: process_creation
  product: windows
detection:
  selection:
    ParentCommandLine|contains: conhost
    CommandLine|contains: /../../
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Unlikely
level: high
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: ee5e119b-1f75-4b34-add8-3be976961e39
    type: derived

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