Windows Devtoolslauncher.exe LaunchForDeploy Executes a Specified Binary

Alerts when devtoolslauncher.exe runs with LaunchForDeploy, indicating it may launch another binary on Windows.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v2

Product: windows
Category: process_creation
Author: Beyu Denis, oscd.community (rule), @_felamos (idea) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published: 2019-10-12
Updated: 2026-07-31

ATT&CK techniques

Defense Evasion

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
- T1218System Binary Proxy Execution
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule flags process creation events where Devtoolslauncher.exe is launched with a command line containing 'LaunchForDeploy'. It can indicate an attacker using a signed Microsoft Windows binary to execute another program, supporting defense-evasion and stealthy execution. The detection relies on Windows process creation telemetry capturing the image path and the full command line.

Reporting behind it

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Windows Devtoolslauncher.exe LaunchForDeploy Executes a Specified Binary

Pivot detection · T1218 · 9 related

Changelog

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-devtoolslauncher-exe-launches-specified-binary-via-launchfordeploy-cc268ac1

title: Windows Devtoolslauncher.exe LaunchForDeploy Executes a Specified Binary
id: ce70e00a-802c-4ce5-bc10-fbd4bf1fe253
status: test
description: This rule flags process creation events where Devtoolslauncher.exe is launched with a command line containing 'LaunchForDeploy'. It can indicate an attacker using a signed Microsoft Windows binary to execute another program, supporting defense-evasion and stealthy execution. The detection relies on Windows process creation telemetry capturing the image path and the full command line.
references:
  - https://lolbas-project.github.io/lolbas/OtherMSBinaries/Devtoolslauncher/
  - https://twitter.com/_felamos/status/1179811992841797632
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_lolbin_devtoolslauncher.yml
author: Beyu Denis, oscd.community (rule), @_felamos (idea), Huntrule Team
date: 2019-10-12
modified: 2021-11-27
tags:
  - attack.stealth
  - attack.t1218
logsource:
  category: process_creation
  product: windows
detection:
  selection:
    Image|endswith: \devtoolslauncher.exe
    CommandLine|contains: LaunchForDeploy
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Legitimate use of devtoolslauncher.exe by legitimate user
level: high
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: cc268ac1-42d9-40fd-9ed3-8c4e1a5b87e6
    type: derived

Convert

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