huntrule

Windows Process Creation: wmic.exe call terminate Attempt

Alerts on wmic.exe being executed with “call terminate”, indicating an attempt to terminate a process on Windows.

FreeReviewedSigma · Medium · v1
Product
windows
Category
process_creation
Author
Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2023-09-11
Updated
2026-07-30
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

Execution

  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 Windows process creation events where wmic.exe is launched with command-line arguments containing both "call" and "terminate". Attackers may use wmic to terminate processes, including security software or other applications, to degrade defenses or disrupt recovery. It relies on process creation telemetry, including Image/OriginalFileName and CommandLine fields.

Reporting behind it

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Malicious Shadow Copy Deletion Via WMI
Suspicious Remote Process Creation via WMIC Process Call Create (via process_creation)
Suspicious System Reconnaissance via WMI Command-Line Queries (via process_creation)
Malicious Impacket WMIexec Process Execution (via process_creation)
Suspicious Child Process Spawned by WMI Provider Host (via process_creation)
Malicious WMI Spwaning PowerShell Process - WMImplant (via process_creation)
Windows Process Creation: wmic.exe call terminate Attempt
Pivot detection · T1047 · 9 related

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