Windows Process Command Line: Suspicious Inline VBScript with UN2452-Like Keywords
Alerts on Windows command lines containing inline VBScript keywords and registry access indicators matching the UNC2452 UN2452 pattern.
- Product
- windows
- Category
- process_creation
- Author
- Florian Roth (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
- Published
- 2021-03-05
- Updated
- 2026-07-31
ATT&CK techniques
Persistence → Priv EscRecon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact
What it detects
This rule flags Windows process creations whose command lines contain a set of inline VBScript keywords commonly associated with UNC2452-style scripting behavior. The combination of VBScript execution, object creation, registry reading, and window-closing patterns can indicate automated script-driven persistence or privilege-related activity. It relies on process creation telemetry, specifically the full CommandLine content and a negative match excluding startup Run key paths.
Reporting behind it
Changelog
v5- v5Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
- v4Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
- v3Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
- 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 Process Command Line: Suspicious Inline VBScript with UN2452-Like Keywords"
id: 09adc80c-62b3-4dbc-962b-5264d9a5b7e8
status: test
description: This rule flags Windows process creations whose command lines contain a set of inline VBScript keywords commonly associated with UNC2452-style scripting behavior. The combination of VBScript execution, object creation, registry reading, and window-closing patterns can indicate automated script-driven persistence or privilege-related activity. It relies on process creation telemetry, specifically the full CommandLine content and a negative match excluding startup Run key paths.
references:
- https://www.microsoft.com/security/blog/2021/03/04/goldmax-goldfinder-sibot-analyzing-nobelium-malware/
- https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules-emerging-threats/2020/TA/SolarWinds-Supply-Chain/proc_creation_win_apt_unc2452_vbscript_pattern.yml
author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2021-03-05
modified: 2022-10-09
tags:
- attack.privilege-escalation
- attack.persistence
- attack.t1547.001
- detection.emerging-threats
logsource:
category: process_creation
product: windows
detection:
selection:
CommandLine|contains|all:
- Execute
- CreateObject
- RegRead
- window.close
- \Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
filter:
CommandLine|contains: \Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
condition: selection and not filter
falsepositives:
- Unknown
level: high
license: DRL-1.1
related:
- id: 20c3f09d-c53d-4e85-8b74-6aa50e2f1b61
type: derived