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

ATT&CK techniques

Cred Access

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
- T1003OS Credential Dumping
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
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

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Suspicious Veeam Backup Credential Harvesting via PowerShell (via ps_script)

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

Pivot detection · T1003 · 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-matching-mimikatz-credential-certificate-dump-str-189e3b02

title: PowerShell ScriptBlock Matching Invoke-Mimikatz Credential Dump Commands (Windows)
id: 54b85a5d-5106-43d9-9461-e292c75bf07d
status: test
description: 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.
references:
  - https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/security/current/potential-invoke-mimikatz-powershell-script.html#potential-invoke-mimikatz-powershell-script
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/powershell/powershell_script/posh_ps_potential_invoke_mimikatz.yml
author: Tim Rauch, Elastic (idea), Huntrule Team
date: 2022-09-28
tags:
  - attack.credential-access
  - attack.t1003
logsource:
  category: ps_script
  product: windows
detection:
  selection_1:
    ScriptBlockText|contains|all:
      - DumpCreds
      - DumpCerts
  selection_2:
    ScriptBlockText|contains: sekurlsa::logonpasswords
  selection_3:
    ScriptBlockText|contains|all:
      - crypto::certificates
      - CERT_SYSTEM_STORE_LOCAL_MACHINE
  condition: 1 of selection*
falsepositives:
  - Mimikatz can be useful for testing the security of networks
level: high
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: 189e3b02-82b2-4b90-9662-411eb64486d4
    type: derived

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