Windows PowerShell Token Obfuscation via Process Command Line
Identifies Windows PowerShell command lines using token obfuscation patterns, common in Invoke-Obfuscation.
- Product
- windows
- Category
- process_creation
- Author
- frack113 (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
- Published
- 2022-12-27
- Updated
- 2026-07-30
ATT&CK techniques
Defense EvasionRecon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact
What it detects
This rule flags Windows process creation events where the command line contains patterns consistent with PowerShell token obfuscation as used by Invoke-Obfuscation. Attackers use this behavior to evade signature-based detection by fragmenting or encoding keywords and expressions. The detection relies on process creation telemetry, specifically the process command line, and applies a filter to reduce matches involving ${env:path}.
Reporting behind it
Detection content is published as a reviewed draft. Tune thresholds and exclusions against your own telemetry before enabling this rule for alerting.
title: Windows PowerShell Token Obfuscation via Process Command Line
id: f4ba6f80-92bc-400e-b1ba-ac827d5626a1
related:
- id: f3a98ce4-6164-4dd4-867c-4d83de7eca51
type: similar
- id: deb9b646-a508-44ee-b7c9-d8965921c6b6
type: derived
status: test
description: This rule flags Windows process creation events where the command line contains patterns consistent with PowerShell token obfuscation as used by Invoke-Obfuscation. Attackers use this behavior to evade signature-based detection by fragmenting or encoding keywords and expressions. The detection relies on process creation telemetry, specifically the process command line, and applies a filter to reduce matches involving ${env:path}.
references:
- https://github.com/danielbohannon/Invoke-Obfuscation
- https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_powershell_token_obfuscation.yml
author: frack113, Huntrule Team
date: 2022-12-27
modified: 2026-03-16
tags:
- attack.stealth
- attack.t1027.009
logsource:
category: process_creation
product: windows
detection:
selection:
- CommandLine|re: \w+`(?:\w+|-|.)`[\w+|\s]
- CommandLine|re: '"(?:\{\d\})+"\s*-f'
- CommandLine|re: (?i)\$\{`?e`?n`?v`?:`?p`?a`?t`?h`?\}
filter_main_envpath:
CommandLine|contains: ${env:path}
condition: selection and not 1 of filter_main_*
falsepositives:
- Unknown
level: high
license: DRL-1.1