Execution Of Non-Existing File

SIGMA detection rule by Max Altgelt (Nextron Systems) · NOASSERTION

Detects process creation events where the Image field lacks an absolute path, which occurs when the backing file no longer exists on disk at the time of logging - commonly caused by Process Ghosting or other unorthodox process creation techniques.

title: Execution Of Non-Existing File
id: 71158e3f-df67-472b-930e-7d287acaa3e1
status: test
description: |
    Detects process creation events where the Image field lacks an absolute path,
    which occurs when the backing file no longer exists on disk at the time of
    logging - commonly caused by Process Ghosting or other unorthodox process creation techniques.
references:
    - https://pentestlaboratories.com/2021/12/08/process-ghosting/
    - https://www.elastic.co/blog/process-ghosting-a-new-executable-image-tampering-attack
author: Max Altgelt (Nextron Systems)
date: 2021-12-09
modified: 2026-07-05
tags:
    - attack.stealth
    - attack.privilege-escalation
    - attack.t1055
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    filter_main_image_absolute_path:
        Image|contains: '\'
    filter_optional_null:
        Image: null
    filter_optional_empty:
        Image:
            - '-'
            - ''
    filter_optional_4688:
        - Image:
              - 'MemCompression'
              - 'Registry'
              - 'System'
              - 'vmmem'
              - 'vmmemWSL'
        - CommandLine:
              - 'MemCompression'
              - 'Registry'
              - 'vmmem'
              - 'vmmemWSL'
    condition: not 1 of filter_main_* and not 1 of filter_optional_*
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: high

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

1148e2f5-9473-46f1-96b3-8918f4c80c6a

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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.

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