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

ATT&CK techniques

Execution → Defense Evasion

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
- T1059.001PowerShell
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
- T1027Obfuscated Files or Information
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
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

Related detections9 linkedT1027 — drag to rearrange

Suspicious PowerShell Invoke-Expression with Replace Obfuscation

Malicious Emmenhtal JavaScript Loader Spawning Encoded PowerShell

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

Pivot detection · T1027 · 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-system-service-creation-using-mshta-with-vbscript-createobject-7e9c7999

title: "Windows System: mshta Launches vbscript:createobject via Service Control Manager (Event ID 7045)"
id: 24f9821e-3273-4399-a8d0-bee8523226e8
status: test
description: 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.
references:
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/issues/1009
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/builtin/system/service_control_manager/win_system_invoke_obfuscation_via_use_mshta_services.yml
author: Nikita Nazarov, oscd.community, Huntrule Team
date: 2020-10-09
modified: 2022-11-29
tags:
  - attack.stealth
  - attack.t1027
  - attack.execution
  - attack.t1059.001
logsource:
  product: windows
  service: system
detection:
  selection:
    Provider_Name: Service Control Manager
    EventID: 7045
    ImagePath|contains|all:
      - mshta
      - vbscript:createobject
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Unknown
level: high
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: 7e9c7999-0f9b-4d4a-a6ed-af6d553d4af4
    type: derived

Convert

This rule as a query you can run. Uses no unlock credit.

SplunkSPL