PowerShell ScriptBlock Launching wscript.exe via PowerHold-like Code Patterns on Windows

Flags PowerShell ScriptBlock text that writes staged bytes in APPDATA and launches wscript.exe.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v5

Product: windows
Category: ps_script
Author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published: 2023-05-04
Updated: 2026-07-31

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 identifies PowerShell script block content that includes specific indicators related to writing payload bytes, locating APPDATA, defining a MainPayload function, and invoking wscript.exe. Attackers commonly use PowerShell to stage and execute secondary payloads, and wscript.exe can be leveraged to run scripts outside of PowerShell’s primary context. The detection relies on telemetry that captures PowerShell ScriptBlockText content on Windows and matches all listed substrings within the same script block.

Reporting behind it

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PowerShell ScriptBlock Launching wscript.exe via PowerHold-like Code Patterns on Windows

Pivot detection · T1059.001 · 9 related

Changelog

v5
Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
v4
Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
v3
Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
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-executing-powerhold-like-logic-via-wscript-71c432c4

title: PowerShell ScriptBlock Launching wscript.exe via PowerHold-like Code Patterns on Windows
id: c85512ed-0b96-4070-a853-16583d4ff585
status: test
description: This rule identifies PowerShell script block content that includes specific indicators related to writing payload bytes, locating APPDATA, defining a MainPayload function, and invoking wscript.exe. Attackers commonly use PowerShell to stage and execute secondary payloads, and wscript.exe can be leveraged to run scripts outside of PowerShell’s primary context. The detection relies on telemetry that captures PowerShell ScriptBlockText content on Windows and matches all listed substrings within the same script block.
references:
  - https://labs.withsecure.com/publications/fin7-target-veeam-servers
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules-emerging-threats/2023/TA/FIN7/posh_ps_apt_fin7_powerhold.yml
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2023-05-04
tags:
  - attack.execution
  - attack.t1059.001
  - attack.g0046
  - detection.emerging-threats
logsource:
  product: windows
  category: ps_script
  definition: bade5735-5ab0-4aa7-a642-a11be0e40872
detection:
  selection:
    ScriptBlockText|contains|all:
      - $env:APPDATA
      - function MainPayload
      - ::WriteAllBytes
      - wscript.exe
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Unknown
level: high
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: 71c432c4-e4da-4eab-ba49-e60ea9a81bca
    type: derived

Convert

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