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PowerShell ScriptBlock Matching Invoke-Mimikatz Credential Dump Commands (Windows)

Detects PowerShell ScriptBlocks containing Mimikatz-like credential dump and certificate extraction command strings.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v2
Product
windows
Category
ps_script
Author
Tim Rauch, Elastic (idea) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2022-09-28
Updated
2026-07-31
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

Cred Access

  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 activity whose ScriptBlockText contains one of the common Mimikatz-style credential and certificate dumping command strings. Attackers use tools like Mimikatz to extract plaintext credentials or sensitive authentication material from memory, which enables account takeover and lateral movement. The detection relies on PowerShell script block text inspection for specific tokens associated with credential dumping and related operations.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1003 — drag to rearrange
Malicious Wdigest Authentication Enabled - Reg via Command (via process_creation)
Malicious Diskshadow Command Abuse to Expose VSS Backup (via process_creation)
Malicious IIS Application Pool Credential Dumping (via process_creation)
Malicious Wdigest Authentication Enabled - Registry (via registry_set)
Suspicious Veeam Backup Credential Harvesting via PowerShell (via ps_script)
Suspicious Network Provider Registration for Credential Interception via NPPSpy
Malicious Mimikatz Malicious Security Package (SSP) Exfiltrates Cleartext Passwords in File (via file_event)
Malicious WDigest UseLogonCredential Enablement For Credential Theft
Linux: Detect changes to fs.suid_dumpable enabling core dumps for SUID processes
PowerShell ScriptBlock Matching Invoke-Mimikatz Credential Dump Commands (Windows)
Pivot detection · T1003 · 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.