Windows PowerTool Process Execution

Flags Windows process creation events where PowerTool.exe/PowerTool64.exe is launched.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v2

Product: windows
Category: process_creation
Author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published: 2022-11-29
Updated: 2026-07-31

ATT&CK techniques

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule matches process creation events where the executed binary is PowerTool.exe or PowerTool64.exe. PowerTool can perform defense-impairment actions such as killing processes, deleting files, and unloading or deleting driver components. The detection relies on Windows process creation telemetry, specifically the image path ending with the target executable name and the OriginalFileName field.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1685 — drag to rearrange

Suspicious Vulnerable Intel Ethernet Driver Load for BYOVD via SCATTERED SPIDER (via driver_load)

Malicious Defender Disable And Executable Exclusion Via Registry

Malicious UAC Disable via EnableLUA Registry Modification (via registry_set)

Malicious AMSI and ETW Patching via PowerShell Script

Malicious PowMix AMSI Bypass via amsiInitFailed

Suspicious ThrottleStop Driver Abuse for Defense Evasion in Ransomware Attacks

Malicious Disabling of Microsoft Defender Real-Time Protection via SystemSettingsAdminFlows by DeadLock Ransomware

Suspicious Security Software Uninstallation via WMIC Product Call Uninstall (Chaos Ransomware)

Suspicious Security Product Uninstall via wmic product call uninstall

Windows PowerTool Process Execution

Pivot detection · T1685 · 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-powertool-execution-via-powertool-exe-or-powertool64-exe-process-creatio-a34f79a3

title: Windows PowerTool Process Execution
id: c4678383-dd0e-4c8b-9a98-9e5d638a98f6
status: test
description: This rule matches process creation events where the executed binary is PowerTool.exe or PowerTool64.exe. PowerTool can perform defense-impairment actions such as killing processes, deleting files, and unloading or deleting driver components. The detection relies on Windows process creation telemetry, specifically the image path ending with the target executable name and the OriginalFileName field.
references:
  - https://thedfirreport.com/2022/11/28/emotet-strikes-again-lnk-file-leads-to-domain-wide-ransomware/
  - https://www.trendmicro.com/en_us/research/22/i/play-ransomware-s-attack-playbook-unmasks-it-as-another-hive-aff.html
  - https://twitter.com/gbti_sa/status/1249653895900602375?lang=en
  - https://www.softpedia.com/get/Antivirus/Removal-Tools/ithurricane-PowerTool.shtml
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_hktl_powertool.yml
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2022-11-29
modified: 2023-02-04
tags:
  - attack.defense-impairment
  - attack.t1685
logsource:
  product: windows
  category: process_creation
detection:
  selection:
    - Image|endswith:
        - \PowerTool.exe
        - \PowerTool64.exe
    - OriginalFileName: PowerTool.exe
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Unlikely
level: high
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: a34f79a3-8e5f-4cc3-b765-de00695452c2
    type: derived

Convert

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

SplunkSPL