Windows Process Execution of SyncAppvPublishingServer.vbs with Inline PowerShell Commands

Flags Windows executions of SyncAppvPublishingServer.vbs with a semicolon-augmented command line consistent with embedded PowerShell.

FreeReviewedSigma · Medium · v2

Product: windows
Category: process_creation
Author: frack113 (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published: 2021-07-16
Updated: 2026-07-31

Analysis Detection

ATT&CK techniques

Defense Evasion

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
- T1216System Script Proxy Execution
- T1218System Binary Proxy Execution
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule flags Windows executions of SyncAppvPublishingServer.vbs where the command line includes the script path along with a semicolon, indicating potential inline command chaining. Attackers can use this technique to run arbitrary PowerShell commands via a trusted or commonly available script mechanism. The detection relies on process creation telemetry and specifically matches command-line content.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1218 — drag to rearrange

Suspicious PowerShell Execution via SyncAppvPublishingServer LOLBIN

Suspicious Cabinet Extraction of Masqueraded vstm Archive via extrac32

PowerShell Proxy Execution via SyncAppvPublishingServer (via process_creation)

Malicious DLL Execution via Wuauclt Update Handler (via process_creation)

Malicious Command Injection via SyncAppvPublishingServer VBS LOLBin (via process_creation)

Malicious aspnet_compiler.exe Injection Host Spawned by PowerShell via process_creation

Malicious regsvcs LOLBin Loading Ransomware DLL from UNC Path

Suspicious winrm.vbs LOLBAS Script Execution for Code Proxying

Suspicious RegAsm or RegSvcs Spawned by Script Host (via process_creation)

Windows Process Execution of SyncAppvPublishingServer.vbs with Inline PowerShell Commands

Pivot detection · T1218 · 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-syncappvpublishingserver-vbs-execution-triggers-powershell-via-semicolon-36475a7d

title: Windows Process Execution of SyncAppvPublishingServer.vbs with Inline PowerShell Commands
id: a4634ed4-c3ee-4bbc-a45a-88cedd659147
status: test
description: This rule flags Windows executions of SyncAppvPublishingServer.vbs where the command line includes the script path along with a semicolon, indicating potential inline command chaining. Attackers can use this technique to run arbitrary PowerShell commands via a trusted or commonly available script mechanism. The detection relies on process creation telemetry and specifically matches command-line content.
references:
  - https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1216/T1216.md
  - https://lolbas-project.github.io/lolbas/Binaries/Syncappvpublishingserver/
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_lolbin_syncappvpublishingserver_vbs_execute_psh.yml
author: frack113, Huntrule Team
date: 2021-07-16
modified: 2022-06-22
tags:
  - attack.stealth
  - attack.t1218
  - attack.t1216
logsource:
  category: process_creation
  product: windows
detection:
  selection:
    CommandLine|contains|all:
      - \SyncAppvPublishingServer.vbs
      - ;
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Unknown
level: medium
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: 36475a7d-0f6d-4dce-9b01-6aeb473bbaf1
    type: derived

Convert

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