huntrule

Windows System: Detect rundll32 Service Control Manager launches PowerShell via obfuscated parameters

Flags service creation where ImagePath uses rundll32/shell32 (shellexec_rundll) to invoke PowerShell.

FreeReviewedSigma · Medium · v2
Product
windows
Service
system
Author
Timur Zinniatullin, oscd.community (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2020-10-18
Updated
2026-07-31
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

Execution → Defense Evasion

  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 flags Windows System events where the Service Control Manager starts rundll32 with a shell32 rundll entry and includes “powershell” in the ImagePath. Attackers may use rundll32 to proxy execution and obscure the true payload, which can help evade straightforward PowerShell visibility. The detection relies on Windows Service Control Manager (Event ID 7045) telemetry that records the service creation command line details.

Reporting behind it

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Suspicious Python Interpreter Launching Encoded PowerShell via subprocess
Suspicious PS1Bot PowerShell Payload Written to ProgramData (via file_event)
Malicious Non-Interactive Encoded PowerShell Stager (via process_creation)
Suspicious Hidden PowerShell Executing Substring of Dropped File
PowerShell Encoded or Download-Cradle Command Line (via process_creation)
Obfuscated Encoded PowerShell Payload Deployed - PowerShell (via powershell)
Suspicious PowerShell AES Decryption and Reflective Method Invocation in SolarMarker
Windows System: Detect rundll32 Service Control Manager launches PowerShell via obfuscated parameters
Pivot detection · T1027 · 9 related

Changelog

v2
  1. v2
    Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
  2. 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.