huntrule

Windows Process Creation: winPEAS (PEASS-ng) Execution

Flags Windows executions of winPEAS/PEASS-ng based on image name and command-line discovery options and release download indicators.

FreeUnreviewedSigmahighv1
title: "Windows Process Creation: winPEAS (PEASS-ng) Execution"
id: 230d6fa5-77fc-499e-8001-845655184a66
status: test
description: This rule identifies execution of the winPEAS PEASS-ng binary by matching process image names ending with winPEAS* variants and specific command-line arguments used for system and credential discovery. Attackers use winPEAS to enumerate applications, browser data, events, files, processes, services, and Windows credentials to find potential privilege escalation paths. It relies on process creation telemetry including Image/OriginalFileName and CommandLine content, plus optional parent/child command-line context and downloads from the PEASS-ng GitHub release URL.
references:
  - https://github.com/carlospolop/PEASS-ng
  - https://book.hacktricks.xyz/windows-hardening/windows-local-privilege-escalation
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_hktl_winpeas.yml
author: Georg Lauenstein (sure[secure]), Huntrule Team
date: 2022-09-19
modified: 2023-03-23
tags:
  - attack.privilege-escalation
  - attack.discovery
  - attack.t1082
  - attack.t1087
  - attack.t1046
logsource:
  category: process_creation
  product: windows
detection:
  selection_img:
    - OriginalFileName: winPEAS.exe
    - Image|endswith:
        - \winPEASany_ofs.exe
        - \winPEASany.exe
        - \winPEASx64_ofs.exe
        - \winPEASx64.exe
        - \winPEASx86_ofs.exe
        - \winPEASx86.exe
  selection_cli_option:
    CommandLine|contains:
      - " applicationsinfo"
      - " browserinfo"
      - " eventsinfo"
      - " fileanalysis"
      - " filesinfo"
      - " processinfo"
      - " servicesinfo"
      - " windowscreds"
  selection_cli_dl:
    CommandLine|contains: https://github.com/carlospolop/PEASS-ng/releases/latest/download/
  selection_cli_specific:
    - ParentCommandLine|endswith: " -linpeas"
    - CommandLine|endswith: " -linpeas"
  condition: 1 of selection_*
falsepositives:
  - Unlikely
level: high
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: 98b53e78-ebaf-46f8-be06-421aafd176d9
    type: derived

What it detects

This rule identifies execution of the winPEAS PEASS-ng binary by matching process image names ending with winPEAS* variants and specific command-line arguments used for system and credential discovery. Attackers use winPEAS to enumerate applications, browser data, events, files, processes, services, and Windows credentials to find potential privilege escalation paths. It relies on process creation telemetry including Image/OriginalFileName and CommandLine content, plus optional parent/child command-line context and downloads from the PEASS-ng GitHub release URL.

Known false positives

  • Unlikely

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