Windows Process Execution: Obfuscated PowerShell Invocation Using mshta with VBScript CreateObject

Flags Windows process command lines containing an obfuscated PowerShell+MSHTA VBScript execution pattern.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v2

Product: windows
Category: process_creation
Author: Nikita Nazarov, oscd.community (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published: 2020-10-08
Updated: 2026-07-31

ATT&CK techniques

Execution → Defense Evasion

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
- T1059.001PowerShell
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
- T1027Obfuscated Files or Information
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule flags Windows process creation events whose command line contains a set of strings associated with launching mshta to execute a VBScript CreateObject and run code. Attackers use this pattern to obfuscate execution and leverage mshta to run script content without relying on direct script interpreters. The detection relies on process creation telemetry and exact string containment across the full command line.

Reporting behind it

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Windows Process Execution: Obfuscated PowerShell Invocation Using mshta with VBScript CreateObject

Pivot detection · T1027 · 9 related

Changelog

v2
Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
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.

windows-process-obfuscated-powershell-command-invoking-mshta-vbscript-from-scrip-ac20ae82

title: "Windows Process Execution: Obfuscated PowerShell Invocation Using mshta with VBScript CreateObject"
id: 0222287f-08fa-43e8-9cf2-b10f29d41569
status: test
description: This rule flags Windows process creation events whose command line contains a set of strings associated with launching mshta to execute a VBScript CreateObject and run code. Attackers use this pattern to obfuscate execution and leverage mshta to run script content without relying on direct script interpreters. The detection relies on process creation telemetry and exact string containment across the full command line.
references:
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/issues/1009
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_hktl_invoke_obfuscation_via_use_mhsta.yml
author: Nikita Nazarov, oscd.community, Huntrule Team
date: 2020-10-08
modified: 2022-03-08
tags:
  - attack.stealth
  - attack.t1027
  - attack.execution
  - attack.t1059.001
logsource:
  category: process_creation
  product: windows
detection:
  selection:
    CommandLine|contains|all:
      - set
      - "&&"
      - mshta
      - vbscript:createobject
      - .run
      - (window.close)
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Unknown
level: high
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: ac20ae82-8758-4f38-958e-b44a3140ca88
    type: derived

Convert

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