huntrule

Windows: RunXCmd Command-Line Execution with System or TrustedInstaller Accounts

Flags RunXCmd usage on Windows when invoked to execute commands as System or TrustedInstaller.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v1
Product
windows
Category
process_creation
Author
Florian Roth (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2022-01-24
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 identifies command execution via the RunXCmd tool by matching command-line arguments that specify the System (/account=system) or TrustedInstaller (/account=ti) account, along with the RunXCmd execution parameter (/exec=). Attackers can use this pattern to run commands under elevated or privileged local contexts. The detection relies on Windows process creation telemetry and inspects the process CommandLine fields for these specific substrings.

Reporting behind it

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Malicious Remote Command Execution via smbexec Output Redirection Pattern
Malicious Lateral Movement via PsExec File-List Target
Malicious PsExec SYSTEM Interactive Shell Execution (via process_creation)
Suspicious PsExec Service Named Sliver
Windows: RunXCmd Command-Line Execution with System or TrustedInstaller Accounts
Pivot detection · T1569.002 · 9 related

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