huntrule

Windows Process Execution of dotnet-trace.exe Child via '-- collect' Arguments

Alerts on dotnet-trace.exe executions with '-- ' and 'collect' command-line arguments that may proxy child process execution.

FreeReviewedSigma · Medium · v2
Product
windows
Category
process_creation
Author
Jimmy Bayne (@bohops) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2024-01-02
Updated
2026-07-31
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

Defense Evasion

  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 identifies Windows process creation where dotnet-trace.exe is launched with command-line content consistent with spawning a child process, indicated by the presence of '-- ' and 'collect'. Attackers may use this execution pattern to proxy or run additional payloads while blending into legitimate .NET diagnostic tooling. The detection relies on process creation telemetry including the executable image name and the full command line.

Reporting behind it

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Windows Process Execution of dotnet-trace.exe Child via '-- collect' Arguments
Pivot detection · T1218 · 9 related

Changelog

v2
  1. v2
    Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
  2. v1
    No 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.