huntrule

Windows Process Creation: Uncommon Child Processes Spawned by DefaultPack.EXE

Alerts when DefaultPack.exe spawns an uncommon child process, indicating potential proxy execution on Windows.

FreeReviewedSigma · Medium · v2
Product
windows
Category
process_creation
Author
frack113 (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2022-12-31
Updated
2026-07-31
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

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 process creation events where DefaultPack.EXE spawns a child process that is uncommon for that binary. Attackers may abuse signed or trusted Windows binaries to proxy execution and reduce the visibility of their real payload. The detection relies on Windows process creation telemetry, matching on the parent process path ending with \DefaultPack.exe.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1218 — drag to rearrange
Suspicious Cabinet Extraction of Masqueraded vstm Archive via extrac32
Malicious DLL Execution via Wuauclt Update Handler (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 RegAsm or RegSvcs Spawned by Script Host (via process_creation)
Suspicious Extexport DLL Side-Loading Execution
Malicious ClickFix Execution Chain Spawning MSHTA via Pcalua on EtherRAT Infection
Suspicious TALONITE Certutil LOLBIN Decode and Download Abuse (via process_creation)
Suspicious Renamed git Binary gcmd.exe Execution (via process_creation)
Windows Process Creation: Uncommon Child Processes Spawned by DefaultPack.EXE
Pivot detection · T1218 · 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.