Windows Process Creation: Suspicious for/foreach Scan Loop with nslookup or ping

Alerts on Windows command lines using for/foreach loops that also run nslookup or ping, consistent with host scanning.

FreeReviewedSigma · Medium · v1

Product: windows
Category: process_creation
Author: frack113 (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published: 2022-03-12
Updated: 2026-07-30

ATT&CK techniques

Execution → Discovery

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
- T1059Command and Scripting Interpreter
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
- T1018Remote System Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule flags Windows process creation where the command line contains a looping construct ("for " or "foreach ") and also includes network discovery tools ("nslookup" or "ping"). Iterative scanning for reachable hosts is a common step toward identifying targets for lateral movement. The detection relies on process command-line telemetry capturing both the loop and the network tool usage in the same execution.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1059 — drag to rearrange

Malicious Web Server Process Spawning Command Interpreter via Web Shell (via process_creation)

Suspicious VMware Guest Operation Output Staging in vmware-system Temp Directory (via file_event)

Malicious Command Shell Spawned by SQL Server via Process Creation (via process_creation)

Suspicious Script Interpreter Spawned by Excel via DarkGate Lure

Suspicious AutoHotkey Script Execution from User Writable Path by DarkGate

Malicious China Chopper Web Shell Command Pattern in IIS Worker Process (via process_creation)

Malicious AutoHotKey Runner AutoNotify Executing AHKBot Looper Script (via process_creation)

Malicious IIS Worker Process Spawning Command Shell after ASP.NET ViewState Injection (via process_creation)

Suspicious MSSQL xp_cmdshell Enablement via sp_configure (via process_creation)

Windows Process Creation: Suspicious for/foreach Scan Loop with nslookup or ping

Pivot detection · T1059 · 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-suspicious-for-foreach-scan-loop-with-nslookup-or-ping-f8ad2e2c

title: "Windows Process Creation: Suspicious for/foreach Scan Loop with nslookup or ping"
id: cafdc360-51ee-4bea-b0cd-f557174b4546
status: test
description: This rule flags Windows process creation where the command line contains a looping construct ("for " or "foreach ") and also includes network discovery tools ("nslookup" or "ping"). Iterative scanning for reachable hosts is a common step toward identifying targets for lateral movement. The detection relies on process command-line telemetry capturing both the loop and the network tool usage in the same execution.
references:
  - https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1018/T1018.md
  - https://ss64.com/nt/for.html
  - https://ss64.com/ps/foreach-object.html
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_susp_network_scan_loop.yml
author: frack113, Huntrule Team
date: 2022-03-12
tags:
  - attack.execution
  - attack.t1059
  - attack.discovery
  - attack.t1018
logsource:
  category: process_creation
  product: windows
detection:
  selection_loop:
    CommandLine|contains:
      - "for "
      - "foreach "
  selection_tools:
    CommandLine|contains:
      - nslookup
      - ping
  condition: all of selection_*
falsepositives:
  - Legitimate script
level: medium
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: f8ad2e2c-40b6-4117-84d7-20b89896ab23
    type: derived

Convert

This rule as a query you can run. Uses no unlock credit.

SplunkSPL