huntrule

Windows: VSDiagnostics.EXE started with launch parameters to proxy arbitrary binaries

Alerts when VSDiagnostics.exe is started with launch arguments that may be used to proxy other binaries on Windows.

FreeReviewedSigma · Medium · v1
Product
windows
Category
process_creation
Author
Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2023-08-03
Updated
2026-07-30
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 where VSDiagnostics.exe is executed with command-line content indicating a 'start' action and includes one of the launch parameter variants. Attackers can abuse this diagnostic binary to stage and proxy the execution of other payloads while blending into legitimate tooling. The detection relies on Windows process creation telemetry, matching the executable name and specific substrings within the command line.

Reporting behind it

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Windows: VSDiagnostics.EXE started with launch parameters to proxy arbitrary binaries
Pivot detection · T1218 · 9 related

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