huntrule

Windows: VMwareToolBoxCmd.exe script/set Used to Configure VM State Persistence

Flags VMwareToolBoxCmd.exe use of 'script' and 'set' parameters consistent with VM state–based persistence.

FreeReviewedSigma · Medium · v1
Product
windows
Category
process_creation
Author
Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2023-06-14
Updated
2026-07-30
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

Execution

  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 identifies execution of VMwareToolBoxCmd.exe when the command line includes the 'script' and 'set' flags, indicating the tool is being used to configure a script tied to a specific VM state. Attackers can abuse VM tooling to persist across VM lifecycle events or trigger actions automatically under defined state changes. It relies on Windows process creation telemetry, matching process image name and required command-line substrings.

Reporting behind it

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Windows: VMwareToolBoxCmd.exe script/set Used to Configure VM State Persistence
Pivot detection · T1059 · 9 related

Detection content is published as a reviewed draft. Tune thresholds and exclusions against your own telemetry before enabling this rule for alerting.