Suspicious PowerShell Cmdlets - WMI

SIGMA detection rule by RedCanary, Sigma formatting by Micah Babinski · GPL-3.0

There are numerous default PowerShell cmdlets that allow administrators to leverage WMI via PowerShell. Both adversaries and administrators use these cmdlets to query the operating system or execute commands, either locally or remotely. Cmdlets like Get-WMIObject are often used for reconnaissance. Part of the RedCanary 2024 Threat Detection Report.

title: Suspicious PowerShell Cmdlets - WMI
id: e29d3301-3b64-4305-9e91-8aabfbef2015
status: experimental
description: |
    There are numerous default PowerShell cmdlets that allow administrators to leverage WMI via 
    PowerShell. Both adversaries and administrators use these cmdlets to query the operating 
    system or execute commands, either locally or remotely. Cmdlets like Get-WMIObject are often 
    used for reconnaissance. Part of the RedCanary 2024 Threat Detection Report.
references:
    - https://redcanary.com/threat-detection-report/techniques/windows-management-instrumentation/
author: RedCanary, Sigma formatting by Micah Babinski
date: 2024/03/21
tags:
    - attack.execution
    - attack.t1047
    - attack.t1059
    - attack.t1059.001
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection:
        Image|endswith: '\powershell.exe'
        CommandLine|contains:
            - 'invoke-wmimethod'
            - 'invoke-cimmethod'
            - 'get-wmiobject'
            - 'get-ciminstance'
            - 'wmiclass'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: low

[[ currentRule.title && currentRule.title.length > 60 ? currentRule.title.slice(0, 60) + '…' : currentRule.title ]]

5d9a858a-7acf-48ff-afef-a4e85aafc250

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Executable code, not a declarative rule

This submission is arbitrary [[ currentRule.format ? currentRule.format.toUpperCase() : '' ]] code, not a declarative detection rule — review it as you would any script before running it, and note that it cannot be safely aggregated or auto-executed alongside YARA/Sigma/Suricata/CRS rules.

Rejected pattern present

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Format & documentation suggestions

Not a security issue — this rule is valid and was accepted as-is. These are optional fields/conventions its own format recommends, mainly affecting its quality score and how well it documents itself for other reviewers.

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[[ currentRule.title && currentRule.title.length > 60 ? currentRule.title.slice(0, 60) + '…' : currentRule.title ]]

[[ currentRule.title ]]

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