huntrule

Windows Process Creation: SoftPerfect netscan.exe Network Scanner Execution

Alerts on execution of SoftPerfect Network Scanner (netscan.exe), a potential network reconnaissance tool.

FreeReviewedSigma · Medium · v1
Product
windows
Category
process_creation
Author
@d4ns4n_ (Wuerth-Phoenix) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2024-04-25
Updated
2026-07-30
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

Discovery

  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 process creation events where the executed binary ends with \netscan.exe and the application is described as SoftPerfect Network Scanner. Network scanning tools can help attackers map reachable hosts and services during reconnaissance. The detection relies on Windows process creation telemetry containing the executable path, plus product and description metadata associated with the binary.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1046 — drag to rearrange
Suspicious Fscan Internal Network Scanner Execution (via process_creation)
Possible Network Service Scanning via Nmap or Masscan (via process_creation)
Malicious Anonymous Login - Domain Specified (via security)
Suspicious Network Scanning Tool Execution
Malicious RDP Discovery Performed on Multiple Hosts (via rdp)
Malicious Anonymous Access Performed to Multiple Targets (via security)
Malicious Network Login Performed to Multiple Targets (via security)
Suspicious SoftPerfect Network Scanner Execution for Discovery
Suspicious SoftPerfect Network Scanner Execution (via process_creation)
Windows Process Creation: SoftPerfect netscan.exe Network Scanner Execution
Pivot detection · T1046 · 9 related

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