Windows PowerShell Process Creation With Empire-Style EncodedCommand Launch Parameters

ATT&CK techniques

Execution

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

What it detects

This rule flags Windows process creation events where the PowerShell command line contains Empire-like launch parameters associated with EncodedCommand usage and hidden/non-interactive execution. Attackers commonly use these flags to reduce user visibility and deliver obfuscated payloads via encoded PowerShell arguments. The detection relies on process creation telemetry with the full PowerShell command line captured for substring matches.

Reporting behind it

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Windows PowerShell Process Creation With Empire-Style EncodedCommand Launch Parameters

Pivot detection · T1059.001 · 9 related

Changelog

v2

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-process-command-lines-with-empire-style-encoded-persistence-l-79f4ede3

title: Windows PowerShell Process Creation With Empire-Style EncodedCommand Launch Parameters
id: be1aef67-b12b-41be-9e8b-01ec1271dc28
status: test
description: This rule flags Windows process creation events where the PowerShell command line contains Empire-like launch parameters associated with EncodedCommand usage and hidden/non-interactive execution. Attackers commonly use these flags to reduce user visibility and deliver obfuscated payloads via encoded PowerShell arguments. The detection relies on process creation telemetry with the full PowerShell command line captured for substring matches.
references:
  - https://github.com/EmpireProject/Empire/blob/c2ba61ca8d2031dad0cfc1d5770ba723e8b710db/lib/common/helpers.py#L165
  - https://github.com/EmpireProject/Empire/blob/e37fb2eef8ff8f5a0a689f1589f424906fe13055/lib/modules/powershell/persistence/powerbreach/deaduser.py#L191
  - https://github.com/EmpireProject/Empire/blob/e37fb2eef8ff8f5a0a689f1589f424906fe13055/lib/modules/powershell/persistence/powerbreach/resolver.py#L178
  - https://github.com/EmpireProject/Empire/blob/e37fb2eef8ff8f5a0a689f1589f424906fe13055/data/module_source/privesc/Invoke-EventVwrBypass.ps1#L64
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_hktl_empire_powershell_launch.yml
author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2019-04-20
modified: 2023-02-21
tags:
  - attack.execution
  - attack.t1059.001
logsource:
  category: process_creation
  product: windows
detection:
  selection:
    CommandLine|contains:
      - " -NoP -sta -NonI -W Hidden -Enc "
      - " -noP -sta -w 1 -enc "
      - " -NoP -NonI -W Hidden -enc "
      - " -noP -sta -w 1 -enc"
      - " -enc  SQB"
      - " -nop -exec bypass -EncodedCommand "
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Other tools that incidentally use the same command line parameters
level: high
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: 79f4ede3-402e-41c8-bc3e-ebbf5f162581
    type: derived

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