Windows WMI DLL Hijack via Network-placed wbemcomn.dll in System32\wbem

Alerts when System creates wbemcomn.dll in C:\Windows\System32\wbem\, consistent with WMI DLL hijack file staging.

FreeReviewedSigma · Critical · v2

Product: windows
Category: file_event
Author: Roberto Rodriguez (Cyb3rWard0g), OTR (Open Threat Research) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2026-07-31

ATT&CK techniques

Execution → Lateral Movement

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
- T1047Windows Management Instrumentation
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
- T1021.002SMB/Windows Admin Shares
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

Identifies creation of a file named wbemcomn.dll under C:\Windows\System32\wbem\ when the process image is System. This pattern matters because placing a WMI-related DLL in that location can enable WMI DLL hijacking to run attacker-controlled code during WMI execution. The rule relies on file creation telemetry (process Image and TargetFilename) that captures the originating process and the destination path.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1021.002 — drag to rearrange

Malicious Impacket Wmiexec Remote Command Execution Pattern

Malicious Remote Process Creation via WMIC Node

Malicious Impacket WMIExec ADMIN Share Output Redirection

Suspicious Command Shell Spawned by WMI Provider Host Targeting ADMIN Share (via process_creation)

Malicious Remote Process Creation via wmic node call create

Malicious Impacket wmiexec Output Redirection via ADMIN Share

Windows WMIPRVSE DLL Hijack via Network-Created wbemcomn.dll in System32\wbem

Windows Security Log: Network Write of wbemcomn.dll in System32\wbem for WMI DLL Hijack (T1047)

Suspicious Access to Citrix Session Evidence Registry Keys

Windows WMI DLL Hijack via Network-placed wbemcomn.dll in System32\wbem

Pivot detection · T1021.002 · 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-network-file-drop-wbemcomn-dll-in-system32-wbem-for-wmi-dll-hijack-614a7e17

title: Windows WMI DLL Hijack via Network-placed wbemcomn.dll in System32\wbem
id: edcf49e3-345a-42c9-8950-5858f6d2febc
status: test
description: Identifies creation of a file named wbemcomn.dll under C:\Windows\System32\wbem\ when the process image is System. This pattern matters because placing a WMI-related DLL in that location can enable WMI DLL hijacking to run attacker-controlled code during WMI execution. The rule relies on file creation telemetry (process Image and TargetFilename) that captures the originating process and the destination path.
references:
  - https://threathunterplaybook.com/hunts/windows/201009-RemoteWMIWbemcomnDLLHijack/notebook.html
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/file/file_event/file_event_win_wmiprvse_wbemcomn_dll_hijack.yml
author: Roberto Rodriguez (Cyb3rWard0g), OTR (Open Threat Research), Huntrule Team
date: 2020-10-12
modified: 2022-12-02
tags:
  - attack.execution
  - attack.t1047
  - attack.lateral-movement
  - attack.t1021.002
logsource:
  product: windows
  category: file_event
detection:
  selection:
    Image: System
    TargetFilename|endswith: \wbem\wbemcomn.dll
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Unknown
level: critical
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: 614a7e17-5643-4d89-b6fe-f9df1a79641c
    type: derived

Convert

This rule as a query you can run. Uses no unlock credit.

SplunkSPL