huntrule

Windows PowerShell: Detect Suspicious Opsec Artifacts in Script Module Content

Identifies PowerShell module content containing frequent offensive payload string markers associated with poor operational security.

FreeReviewedSigma · Critical · v2
Product
windows
Category
ps_module
Author
ok @securonix invrep_de, oscd.community (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2020-10-09
Updated
2026-07-31
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

Execution

  1. Recon

  2. Resource Dev

  3. Initial Access

  4. Execution

  5. Persistence

  6. Priv Esc

  7. Defense Evasion

  8. Cred Access

  9. Discovery

  10. Lateral Movement

  11. Collection

  12. C2

  13. Exfiltration

  14. Impact

What it detects

This rule flags PowerShell module content that contains specific byte-pattern strings commonly seen in offensive PowerShell payload variants. Attackers sometimes leave these trivial identifiers intact across multiple payloads when making minimal changes, making them useful for behavioral triage. The detection relies on Windows PowerShell module telemetry where the script/module payload text is available and matched for the listed substrings.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1059.001 — drag to rearrange
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Suspicious PsExec Service Launching Encoded PowerShell Payload
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Malicious SharePoint ToolShell Post-Exploitation via Encoded PowerShell (via process_creation)
Suspicious In-Memory PowerShell Execution from Web Server via Automation Assembly (via image_load)
Malicious Qilin Chrome Credential Harvesting Script Execution via IPScanner (via process_creation)
Windows PowerShell: Detect Suspicious Opsec Artifacts in Script Module Content
Pivot detection · T1059.001 · 9 related

Changelog

v2
  1. v2
    Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
  2. 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.