Windows Process Discovery via tasklist Command Execution
Alerts on Windows executions of tasklist.exe used for running process discovery.
- Product
- windows
- Category
- process_creation
- Author
- frack113 (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
- Published
- 2021-12-11
- 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
This rule flags process creation events where the command line includes "tasklist" or where the executed binary is identified as tasklist.exe. Adversaries can use tasklist output to understand what software and processes are running on a host, which may support later targeting and discovery steps. The detection relies on Windows process creation telemetry, matching on Image, OriginalFileName, and CommandLine content.
Reporting behind it
- github.comhttps://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1057/T1057.md#atomic-test-2---process-discovery---tasklist
- github.comhttps://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules-threat-hunting/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_tasklist_basic_execution.yml
Changelog
v5- v5Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
- v4Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
- v3Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
- 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 Process Discovery via tasklist Command Execution
id: 1afdbf46-1f9e-43e6-9b32-6c2bf2b42ccb
status: test
description: This rule flags process creation events where the command line includes "tasklist" or where the executed binary is identified as tasklist.exe. Adversaries can use tasklist output to understand what software and processes are running on a host, which may support later targeting and discovery steps. The detection relies on Windows process creation telemetry, matching on Image, OriginalFileName, and CommandLine content.
references:
- https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1057/T1057.md#atomic-test-2---process-discovery---tasklist
- https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules-threat-hunting/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_tasklist_basic_execution.yml
author: frack113, Huntrule Team
date: 2021-12-11
modified: 2022-12-25
tags:
- attack.discovery
- attack.t1057
- detection.threat-hunting
logsource:
category: process_creation
product: windows
detection:
selection:
- CommandLine|contains: tasklist
- Image|endswith: \tasklist.exe
- OriginalFileName: tasklist.exe
condition: selection
falsepositives:
- Likely from users, administrator and different internal and third party applications.
level: informational
license: DRL-1.1
related:
- id: 63332011-f057-496c-ad8d-d2b6afb27f96
type: derived