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.
- Product
- windows
- Category
- process_creation
- Author
- Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
- Published
- 2023-09-11
- Updated
- 2026-07-30
ATT&CK techniques
ExecutionRecon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
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
- cyble.comhttps://cyble.com/blog/lockfile-ransomware-using-proxyshell-attack-to-deploy-ransomware/
- bitdefender.comhttps://www.bitdefender.com/files/News/CaseStudies/study/377/Bitdefender-Whitepaper-WMI-creat4871-en-EN-GenericUse.pdf
- github.comhttps://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_wmic_terminate_application.yml
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 Creation: wmic.exe call terminate Attempt"
id: c4978ba0-17c4-4634-9530-6ddba12d5da2
related:
- id: 847d5ff3-8a31-4737-a970-aeae8fe21765
type: derived
- id: 49d9671b-0a0a-4c09-8280-d215bfd30662
type: derived
status: test
description: 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.
references:
- https://cyble.com/blog/lockfile-ransomware-using-proxyshell-attack-to-deploy-ransomware/
- https://www.bitdefender.com/files/News/CaseStudies/study/377/Bitdefender-Whitepaper-WMI-creat4871-en-EN-GenericUse.pdf
- https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_wmic_terminate_application.yml
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2023-09-11
tags:
- attack.execution
- attack.t1047
logsource:
category: process_creation
product: windows
detection:
selection_img:
- Image|endswith: \WMIC.exe
- OriginalFileName: wmic.exe
selection_cli:
CommandLine|contains|all:
- call
- terminate
condition: all of selection_*
falsepositives:
- Unknown
level: medium
regression_tests_path: regression_data/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_wmic_terminate_application/info.yml
license: DRL-1.1