Windows process creation: child process spawned by winrshost.exe

ATT&CK techniques

Lateral Movement

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
- T1021.006Windows Remote Management
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule identifies when a process is created as a child of winrshost.exe on Windows, indicating remote command execution via Windows Remote Shell (WinRS). Such activity can be used to run commands on additional hosts and may support lateral movement. It relies on Windows process creation telemetry, matching the parent executable name and excluding cases involving conhost.exe as the spawned image.

Reporting behind it

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Windows process creation: child process spawned by winrshost.exe

Pivot detection · T1021.006 · 9 related

Detection content is published as a reviewed draft. Tune thresholds and exclusions against your own telemetry before enabling this rule for alerting.

windows-process-creation-child-process-spawned-by-winrshost-exe-79df3f68

title: "Windows process creation: child process spawned by winrshost.exe"
id: 8ab1f668-de64-47ac-a512-782e7f688383
status: experimental
description: This rule identifies when a process is created as a child of winrshost.exe on Windows, indicating remote command execution via Windows Remote Shell (WinRS). Such activity can be used to run commands on additional hosts and may support lateral movement. It relies on Windows process creation telemetry, matching the parent executable name and excluding cases involving conhost.exe as the spawned image.
references:
  - https://cardinalops.com/blog/living-off-winrm-abusing-complexity-in-remote-management/
  - https://www.ired.team/offensive-security/lateral-movement/winrs-for-lateral-movement
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_winrshost_command_execution.yml
author: Liran Ravich, Huntrule Team
date: 2025-10-22
tags:
  - attack.lateral-movement
  - attack.t1021.006
logsource:
  category: process_creation
  product: windows
detection:
  selection:
    ParentImage|endswith: \winrshost.exe
  filter_main_conhost:
    Image: C:\Windows\System32\conhost.exe
  condition: selection and not 1 of filter_main_*
falsepositives:
  - Legitimate use of WinRM within the organization
level: medium
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: 79df3f68-dccb-48e9-9171-b75cbc37c51d
    type: derived

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