Windows: Recon command output piped to findstr.exe
Alerts on Windows command lines running recon commands whose output is filtered with findstr.exe.
- Product
- windows
- Category
- process_creation
- Author
- Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), frack113 (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
- Published
- 2023-07-06
- Updated
- 2026-07-31
ATT&CK techniques
DiscoveryRecon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact
What it detects
Identifies Windows process creation where command-line arguments indicate recon-like commands whose output is piped to findstr.exe via inline command execution. This matters because attackers frequently filter or extract specific reconnaissance results using native tools to reduce noise and focus on targeted information. The detection relies on process creation telemetry capturing the full command line, looking for recon command patterns combined with “|*find”.
Reporting behind it
- github.comhttps://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/02cb591f75064ffe1e0df9ac3ed5972a2e491c97/atomics/T1057/T1057.md#atomic-test-6---discover-specific-process---tasklist
- hhs.govhttps://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/manage-engine-vulnerability-sector-alert-tlpclear.pdf
- trendmicro.comhttps://www.trendmicro.com/en_us/research/22/d/spring4shell-exploited-to-deploy-cryptocurrency-miners.html
- github.comhttps://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_findstr_recon_pipe_output.yml
Changelog
v2- v2Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
- v1No 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.
title: "Windows: Recon command output piped to findstr.exe"
id: c6037f63-1761-4457-b3d9-2aa7986d23cd
related:
- id: fe63010f-8823-4864-a96b-a7b4a0f7b929
type: derived
- id: ccb5742c-c248-4982-8c5c-5571b9275ad3
type: derived
status: test
description: Identifies Windows process creation where command-line arguments indicate recon-like commands whose output is piped to findstr.exe via inline command execution. This matters because attackers frequently filter or extract specific reconnaissance results using native tools to reduce noise and focus on targeted information. The detection relies on process creation telemetry capturing the full command line, looking for recon command patterns combined with “|*find”.
references:
- https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/02cb591f75064ffe1e0df9ac3ed5972a2e491c97/atomics/T1057/T1057.md#atomic-test-6---discover-specific-process---tasklist
- https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/manage-engine-vulnerability-sector-alert-tlpclear.pdf
- https://www.trendmicro.com/en_us/research/22/d/spring4shell-exploited-to-deploy-cryptocurrency-miners.html
- https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_findstr_recon_pipe_output.yml
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), frack113, Huntrule Team
date: 2023-07-06
modified: 2025-10-08
tags:
- attack.discovery
- attack.t1057
logsource:
category: process_creation
product: windows
detection:
selection:
CommandLine|contains:
- ipconfig*|*find
- net*|*find
- netstat*|*find
- ping*|*find
- systeminfo*|*find
- tasklist*|*find
- whoami*|*find
filter_optional_xampp:
CommandLine|contains|all:
- cmd.exe /c TASKLIST /V |
- FIND /I
- \xampp\
- \catalina_start.bat
condition: selection and not 1 of filter_optional_*
falsepositives:
- Unknown
level: medium
regression_tests_path: regression_data/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_findstr_recon_pipe_output/info.yml
license: DRL-1.1