huntrule

Windows Process Creation: Hydra Password Bruteforce Command-Line Parameters

Alerts when Windows process command lines include Hydra -u/-p parameters with USER/PASS placeholders.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v2
Product
windows
Category
process_creation
Author
Vasiliy Burov (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2020-10-05
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 flags Windows process executions whose command line includes Hydra-style password guessing parameters. Attackers rely on tools like Hydra to automate credential brute forcing by supplying target usernames and passwords via command-line options. The detection depends on process creation telemetry and string matching within the spawned process CommandLine fields for the expected option patterns and caret-wrapped placeholders.

Reporting behind it

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Possible SonicWall Credential Testing via userLogin Endpoint
Malicious Brutforce Enumeration with Unexisting Users - Kerberos (via security)
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Windows Process Creation: Hydra Password Bruteforce Command-Line Parameters
Pivot detection · T1110 · 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.