Windows OpenConsole LOLBIN Execution via Process Creation
Alerts when OpenConsole.exe runs (outside a specific Windows Terminal path), potentially used to bypass application whitelisting.
- Product
- windows
- Category
- process_creation
- Author
- Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
- Published
- 2022-06-16
- Updated
- 2026-07-31
ATT&CK techniques
ExecutionRecon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact
What it detects
This rule flags process creation events where the executed binary is OpenConsole.exe, identified by the original filename or the executable path ending in \OpenConsole.exe. OpenConsole can be abused as a signed Windows utility to launch other binaries and potentially evade application allowlisting controls. The detection relies on process creation telemetry, including OriginalFileName and Image path details, while excluding the default Microsoft.WindowsTerminal app path.
Reporting behind it
Changelog
v2- v2Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
- v1No 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.
title: Windows OpenConsole LOLBIN Execution via Process Creation
id: fe45a3c8-cf98-4569-af75-f02788579d67
status: test
description: This rule flags process creation events where the executed binary is OpenConsole.exe, identified by the original filename or the executable path ending in \OpenConsole.exe. OpenConsole can be abused as a signed Windows utility to launch other binaries and potentially evade application allowlisting controls. The detection relies on process creation telemetry, including OriginalFileName and Image path details, while excluding the default Microsoft.WindowsTerminal app path.
references:
- https://twitter.com/nas_bench/status/1537563834478645252
- https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_lolbin_openconsole.yml
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2022-06-16
tags:
- attack.execution
- attack.t1059
logsource:
category: process_creation
product: windows
detection:
selection:
- OriginalFileName: OpenConsole.exe
- Image|endswith: \OpenConsole.exe
filter:
Image|startswith: C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.WindowsTerminal
condition: selection and not filter
falsepositives:
- Legitimate use by an administrator
level: medium
license: DRL-1.1
related:
- id: 814c95cc-8192-4378-a70a-f1aafd877af1
type: derived