Windows Remote PowerShell Session via PS Module ContextInfo and wsmprovhost.exe

Flags Windows PowerShell remote session module context involving wsmprovhost.exe while filtering out archive module references.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v2

Product: windows
Category: ps_module
Author: Roberto Rodriguez @Cyb3rWard0g, Tim Shelton (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published: 2019-08-10
Updated: 2026-07-31

Analysis Detection

ATT&CK techniques

Execution → Lateral Movement

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
- T1059.001PowerShell
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
- T1021.006Windows Remote Management
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule identifies remote PowerShell session activity by matching PowerShell module context details that include the ServerRemoteHost marker and the wsmprovhost.exe host application. It helps detect attacker-driven remote PowerShell usage for execution and lateral movement. The detection relies on Windows PowerShell module telemetry that contains ContextInfo strings, plus the presence of Microsoft.PowerShell.Archive module paths that are excluded by the filter.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1059.001 — drag to rearrange

Windows remote PowerShell session activity via wsmprovhost.exe process relationships

Windows Remote PowerShell via PS Classic (wsmprovhost.exe, HostName=ServerRemoteHost)

WinRM Remote Access to LSASS via wsmprovhost.exe (Windows Process Access)

Malicious Metasploit Stager Delivery via mshta Remote HTA (via process_creation)

Suspicious PowerShell Download of Disguised Payload to ProgramData

Suspicious PowerShell WebClient Download of Executable Payload

Malicious Script Host Spawning PowerShell in Gootloader Chain

Suspicious PsExec Service Launching Encoded PowerShell Payload

Suspicious PowerShell Remote Script Execution via IEX DownloadString

Windows Remote PowerShell Session via PS Module ContextInfo and wsmprovhost.exe

Pivot detection · T1059.001 · 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-remote-session-module-context-indicator-wsmprovhost-exe-96b9f619

title: Windows Remote PowerShell Session via PS Module ContextInfo and wsmprovhost.exe
id: 8bb4c295-b84a-497a-8330-00537eddfa39
status: test
description: This rule identifies remote PowerShell session activity by matching PowerShell module context details that include the ServerRemoteHost marker and the wsmprovhost.exe host application. It helps detect attacker-driven remote PowerShell usage for execution and lateral movement. The detection relies on Windows PowerShell module telemetry that contains ContextInfo strings, plus the presence of Microsoft.PowerShell.Archive module paths that are excluded by the filter.
references:
  - https://threathunterplaybook.com/hunts/windows/190511-RemotePwshExecution/notebook.html
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/powershell/powershell_module/posh_pm_remote_powershell_session.yml
author: Roberto Rodriguez @Cyb3rWard0g, Tim Shelton, Huntrule Team
date: 2019-08-10
modified: 2023-01-20
tags:
  - attack.execution
  - attack.t1059.001
  - attack.lateral-movement
  - attack.t1021.006
logsource:
  product: windows
  category: ps_module
  definition: 0ad03ef1-f21b-4a79-8ce8-e6900c54b65b
detection:
  selection:
    ContextInfo|contains|all:
      - " = ServerRemoteHost "
      - wsmprovhost.exe
  filter_pwsh_archive:
    ContextInfo|contains: \Windows\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\Microsoft.PowerShell.Archive\Microsoft.PowerShell.Archive.psm1
  condition: selection and not 1 of filter_*
falsepositives:
  - Legitimate use remote PowerShell sessions
level: high
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: 96b9f619-aa91-478f-bacb-c3e50f8df575
    type: derived

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