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

Related detections9 linkedT1027 — drag to rearrange
Malicious FIN7 Powertrash Loader Execution via Obfuscated PowerShell (via process_creation)
Suspicious XOR Obfuscated PowerShell from ClickFix Distribution
Suspicious PowerShell Executing Code from Environment Variable (via process_creation)
Suspicious In-Memory Runspace Execution via PowerShell Script Block
Suspicious Encoded PowerShell Using Base64 Stream Decompression Routines (via process_creation)
Suspicious PowerShell In-Memory Execution with AES Decryption
Suspicious Encoded PowerShell Command Execution
Suspicious PEAKLIGHT Memory-Only PowerShell Downloader Flags (via process_creation)
Obfuscated PowerShell Script: Indirect Cmdlet Execution via ExportedCommands Array Index
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.