huntrule

Windows Named Pipe Created for PowerShell PSHost Instance

Alerts on named pipe creation with a \PSHost prefix, indicating PowerShell host-related activity.

FreeReviewedSigma · Informational · v2
Product
windows
Category
pipe_created
Author
Roberto Rodriguez (Cyb3rWard0g), OTR (Open Threat Research) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2019-09-12
Updated
2026-07-31
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

Execution

  1. Recon

  2. Resource Dev

  3. Initial Access

  4. Execution

  5. Persistence

  6. Priv Esc

  7. Defense Evasion

  8. Cred Access

  9. Discovery

  10. Lateral Movement

  11. Collection

  12. C2

  13. Exfiltration

  14. Impact

What it detects

This rule identifies the creation of a named pipe whose name starts with '\PSHost', indicating a PowerShell instance using a PSHost-based named pipe. Attackers may use PowerShell to execute commands, and named-pipe artifacts can provide a reliable host-level signal when process telemetry is limited. It relies on telemetry for named pipe creation events, such as Sysmon pipe-created logs.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1059.001 — drag to rearrange
Malicious Metasploit Stager Delivery via mshta Remote HTA (via process_creation)
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Malicious Script Host Spawning PowerShell in Gootloader Chain
Suspicious PsExec Service Launching Encoded PowerShell Payload
Suspicious PowerShell Remote Script Execution via IEX DownloadString
Malicious SharePoint ToolShell Post-Exploitation via Encoded PowerShell (via process_creation)
Suspicious In-Memory PowerShell Execution from Web Server via Automation Assembly (via image_load)
Malicious Qilin Chrome Credential Harvesting Script Execution via IPScanner (via process_creation)
Windows Named Pipe Created for PowerShell PSHost Instance
Pivot detection · T1059.001 · 9 related

Changelog

v2
  1. v2
    Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
  2. 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.