Windows PowerShell ScriptBlock alerts for DSInternals cmdlets

Triggers when PowerShell script blocks include DSInternals cmdlets tied to AD/Azure AD key and password auditing or manipulation.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v2

Product: windows
Category: ps_script
Author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published: 2024-06-26
Updated: 2026-07-31

Analysis Detection

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 PowerShell ScriptBlock executions that contain specific DSInternals module cmdlets. These cmdlets can be used for sensitive Active Directory and Azure AD-related operations, including password and key auditing, offline ntds.dit handling, and recovery key material collection. It relies on Script Block Logging to provide the ScriptBlockText content of PowerShell execution so the listed cmdlets can be matched.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1059.001 — drag to rearrange

Suspicious Script Interpreter Spawned by Explorer via ClickFix Run Dialog (via process_creation)

Suspicious PowerShell Download Cradle via ClickFix Fake CAPTCHA (via process_creation)

Suspicious PowerShell EncodedCommand Spawned From Command Shell via Process Creation

Suspicious Script Download via Curl and PowerShell by Dohdoor

Malicious Mass Hyper-V Virtual Machine Shutdown via PowerShell by Kraken Ransomware

Suspicious PowerShell WebClient DownloadFile of Archive Payload (UAT-7237)

Suspicious SharePoint Worker Process Spawning Command Interpreter via ToolShell

Malicious Emmenhtal JavaScript Loader Spawning Encoded PowerShell

Suspicious Python Interpreter Launching Encoded PowerShell via subprocess

Windows PowerShell ScriptBlock alerts for DSInternals cmdlets

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-scriptblock-alerts-for-dsinternals-module-cmdlet-usage-846c7a87

title: Windows PowerShell ScriptBlock alerts for DSInternals cmdlets
id: fbfff1ca-06bd-4548-ad91-29b26f8d1831
related:
  - id: 43d91656-a9b2-4541-b7e2-6a9bd3a13f4e
    type: similar
  - id: 846c7a87-8e14-4569-9d49-ecfd4276a01c
    type: derived
status: test
description: This rule flags PowerShell ScriptBlock executions that contain specific DSInternals module cmdlets. These cmdlets can be used for sensitive Active Directory and Azure AD-related operations, including password and key auditing, offline ntds.dit handling, and recovery key material collection. It relies on Script Block Logging to provide the ScriptBlockText content of PowerShell execution so the listed cmdlets can be matched.
references:
  - https://github.com/MichaelGrafnetter/DSInternals/blob/39ee8a69bbdc1cfd12c9afdd7513b4788c4895d4/Src/DSInternals.PowerShell/DSInternals.psd1
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/powershell/powershell_script/posh_ps_dsinternals_cmdlets.yml
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2024-06-26
tags:
  - attack.execution
  - attack.t1059.001
logsource:
  product: windows
  category: ps_script
  definition: "Requirements: Script Block Logging must be enabled"
detection:
  selection:
    ScriptBlockText|contains:
      - Add-ADDBSidHistory
      - Add-ADNgcKey
      - Add-ADReplNgcKey
      - ConvertFrom-ADManagedPasswordBlob
      - ConvertFrom-GPPrefPassword
      - ConvertFrom-ManagedPasswordBlob
      - ConvertFrom-UnattendXmlPassword
      - ConvertFrom-UnicodePassword
      - ConvertTo-AADHash
      - ConvertTo-GPPrefPassword
      - ConvertTo-KerberosKey
      - ConvertTo-LMHash
      - ConvertTo-MsoPasswordHash
      - ConvertTo-NTHash
      - ConvertTo-OrgIdHash
      - ConvertTo-UnicodePassword
      - Disable-ADDBAccount
      - Enable-ADDBAccount
      - Get-ADDBAccount
      - Get-ADDBBackupKey
      - Get-ADDBDomainController
      - Get-ADDBGroupManagedServiceAccount
      - Get-ADDBKdsRootKey
      - Get-ADDBSchemaAttribute
      - Get-ADDBServiceAccount
      - Get-ADDefaultPasswordPolicy
      - Get-ADKeyCredential
      - Get-ADPasswordPolicy
      - Get-ADReplAccount
      - Get-ADReplBackupKey
      - Get-ADReplicationAccount
      - Get-ADSIAccount
      - Get-AzureADUserEx
      - Get-BootKey
      - Get-KeyCredential
      - Get-LsaBackupKey
      - Get-LsaPolicy
      - Get-SamPasswordPolicy
      - Get-SysKey
      - Get-SystemKey
      - New-ADDBRestoreFromMediaScript
      - New-ADKeyCredential
      - New-ADNgcKey
      - New-NTHashSet
      - Remove-ADDBObject
      - Save-DPAPIBlob
      - Set-ADAccountPasswordHash
      - Set-ADDBAccountPassword
      - Set-ADDBBootKey
      - Set-ADDBDomainController
      - Set-ADDBPrimaryGroup
      - Set-ADDBSysKey
      - Set-AzureADUserEx
      - Set-LsaPolicy
      - Set-SamAccountPasswordHash
      - Set-WinUserPasswordHash
      - Test-ADDBPasswordQuality
      - Test-ADPasswordQuality
      - Test-ADReplPasswordQuality
      - Test-PasswordQuality
      - Unlock-ADDBAccount
      - Write-ADNgcKey
      - Write-ADReplNgcKey
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Legitimate usage of DSInternals for administration or audit purpose.
level: high
license: DRL-1.1

Convert

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

SplunkSPL