huntrule

Windows Process Creation: Command-Line Indicators of Crypto Mining

Alerts on Windows processes with command-line arguments matching common crypto miner pool and configuration indicators.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v1
Product
windows
Category
process_creation
Author
Florian Roth (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2021-10-26
Updated
2026-07-30
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

Impact

  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 contains strings and parameters commonly seen in cryptocurrency miners, including pool URLs (e.g., stratum+tcp/udp), miner tuning options, and base64-encoded variants of the same. Such indicators are important because attackers often deploy miners via command-line arguments to establish pool communication and maximize resource usage. The detection relies on process creation telemetry with access to the full command line, matching specific substrings and excluding cases containing certain developer/build-related indicators.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1496 — drag to rearrange
Malicious Cryptocurrency Miner Execution via XMRig and c3pool (via process_creation)
Malicious WinRing0 Vulnerable Driver Load for Coin Mining
Suspicious Power Configuration Change to Prevent Sleep via powercfg
Suspicious kswapd0 Masquerading Miner Process
Suspicious XMRig Cryptominer Execution with Pool URL by StaryDobry
Suspicious SteelFox Service Binary Launched by services.exe
Suspicious Cryptomining Shell Script Execution sex.sh or miner.sh on Linux (via process_creation)
Malicious XMRig Cryptominer Execution via Custom Command-Line Flags (via process_creation)
Malicious XMRig GhostRider Coinminer Execution with Mining Pool Arguments
Windows Process Creation: Command-Line Indicators of Crypto Mining
Pivot detection · T1496 · 9 related

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