Windows Process Creation: PowerShell Obfuscation Executed via Clip.exe and Clipboard

Flags Windows command lines indicating clip.exe clipboard use followed by obfuscated PowerShell invoke behavior.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v2

Product: windows
Category: process_creation
Author: Nikita Nazarov, oscd.community (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published: 2020-10-09
Updated: 2026-07-31

ATT&CK techniques

Execution → Defense Evasion

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
- T1059.001PowerShell
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
- T1027Obfuscated Files or Information
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule flags Windows process creation events where command lines contain an obfuscated PowerShell invocation combined with Clip.exe usage for clipboard access. Attackers commonly use the clipboard and command chaining to obscure intent and stage execution payloads from script content. The detection relies on the process creation telemetry, specifically matching command lines containing both “clip” and clipboard/invoke-related terms.

Reporting behind it

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Windows Process Creation: PowerShell Obfuscation Executed via Clip.exe and Clipboard

Pivot detection · T1027 · 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-powershell-obfuscation-using-clip-exe-via-clipboard-invoke-e1561947

title: "Windows Process Creation: PowerShell Obfuscation Executed via Clip.exe and Clipboard"
id: 18a521e5-6418-451e-aa7d-4d10d82e2768
status: test
description: This rule flags Windows process creation events where command lines contain an obfuscated PowerShell invocation combined with Clip.exe usage for clipboard access. Attackers commonly use the clipboard and command chaining to obscure intent and stage execution payloads from script content. The detection relies on the process creation telemetry, specifically matching command lines containing both “clip” and clipboard/invoke-related terms.
references:
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/issues/1009
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_hktl_invoke_obfuscation_via_use_clip.yml
author: Nikita Nazarov, oscd.community, Huntrule Team
date: 2020-10-09
modified: 2026-03-16
tags:
  - attack.stealth
  - attack.t1027
  - attack.execution
  - attack.t1059.001
logsource:
  category: process_creation
  product: windows
detection:
  selection:
    CommandLine|re: (?i)echo.*clip.*&&.*(?:Clipboard|i`?n`?v`?o`?k`?e`?)
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Unknown
level: high
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: e1561947-b4e3-4a74-9bdd-83baed21bdb5
    type: derived

Convert

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

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