Windows PowerShell Command Line Pattern Using WMI to Launch rundll32

title: Windows PowerShell Command Line Pattern Using WMI to Launch rundll32
id: f60d5ed0-9953-4a7b-b9a8-3c190f00a103
status: test
description: This rule identifies Windows process creation events where the command line contains PowerShell usage tied to WMI process creation, specifically launching rundll32 from c:\windows. Attackers commonly leverage WMI with PowerShell to execute payloads and evade simpler command-line monitoring. It relies on process_creation telemetry with full command-line capture, matching the required substrings within the same command line.
references:
  - https://symantec-enterprise-blogs.security.com/blogs/threat-intelligence/solarwinds-raindrop-malware
  - https://www.microsoft.com/security/blog/2020/12/18/analyzing-solorigate-the-compromised-dll-file-that-started-a-sophisticated-cyberattack-and-how-microsoft-defender-helps-protect/
  - https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1047/T1047.md#atomic-test-7---create-a-process-using-wmi-query-and-an-encoded-command
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules-emerging-threats/2020/TA/SolarWinds-Supply-Chain/proc_creation_win_apt_unc2452_ps.yml
author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2021-01-20
modified: 2022-10-09
tags:
  - attack.execution
  - attack.t1059.001
  - attack.t1047
  - detection.emerging-threats
logsource:
  category: process_creation
  product: windows
detection:
  selection_cli_1:
    CommandLine|contains|all:
      - Invoke-WMIMethod win32_process -name create -argumentlist
      - rundll32 c:\windows
  selection_cli_2:
    CommandLine|contains|all:
      - "wmic /node:"
      - process call create "rundll32 c:\windows
  condition: 1 of selection_*
falsepositives:
  - Unlikely
level: critical
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: b7155193-8a81-4d8f-805d-88de864ca50c
    type: derived