huntrule

Windows PowerShell Script Execution via Redirected Input Stream

Flags PowerShell/pwsh executions where the command line includes redirected input ("- <").

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v1
Product
windows
Category
process_creation
Author
Moriarty Meng (idea), Anton Kutepov (rule), oscd.community (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2020-10-17
Updated
2026-07-30
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 identifies PowerShell or pwsh being launched with a command line containing a redirected input indicator ("- <"). Attackers can use redirected input to pass script content or commands through the process invocation, helping execution blend into less obvious command-line patterns. Detection relies on Windows process creation telemetry capturing the PowerShell executable path and the full command line.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1059 — drag to rearrange
Malicious Web Server Process Spawning Command Interpreter via Web Shell (via process_creation)
Suspicious VMware Guest Operation Output Staging in vmware-system Temp Directory (via file_event)
Malicious Command Shell Spawned by SQL Server via Process Creation (via process_creation)
Suspicious Script Interpreter Spawned by Excel via DarkGate Lure
Suspicious AutoHotkey Script Execution from User Writable Path by DarkGate
Malicious China Chopper Web Shell Command Pattern in IIS Worker Process (via process_creation)
Malicious AutoHotKey Runner AutoNotify Executing AHKBot Looper Script (via process_creation)
Malicious IIS Worker Process Spawning Command Shell after ASP.NET ViewState Injection (via process_creation)
Suspicious MSSQL xp_cmdshell Enablement via sp_configure (via process_creation)
Windows PowerShell Script Execution via Redirected Input Stream
Pivot detection · T1059 · 9 related

Detection content is published as a reviewed draft. Tune thresholds and exclusions against your own telemetry before enabling this rule for alerting.