huntrule

Windows System: mshta Launches vbscript:createobject via Service Control Manager (Event ID 7045)

Flags Windows service creation (7045) where ImagePath includes mshta and vbscript:createobject.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v2
Product
windows
Service
system
Author
Nikita Nazarov, oscd.community (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2020-10-09
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 (EventID 7045) starts a process whose ImagePath contains both mshta and vbscript:createobject. Attackers commonly use mshta to execute script content and leverage createobject calls to run or stage additional code while reducing visibility. The detection relies on System telemetry for EventID 7045 and string matches within the reported ImagePath.

Reporting behind it

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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: mshta Launches vbscript:createobject via Service Control Manager (Event ID 7045)
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.