Detection rules › Sigma

Potential Product Class Reconnaissance Via Wmic.EXE

Status
test
Severity
medium
Log source
category process_creation, product windows
Author
Michael Haag, Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), juju4, oscd.community, Swachchhanda Shrawan Poudel (Nextron Systems)
Source
github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma

Detects the execution of WMIC in order to get a list of firewall, antivirus and antispywware products. Adversaries often enumerate security products installed on a system to identify security controls and potential ways to evade detection or disable protection mechanisms. This information helps them plan their next attack steps and choose appropriate techniques to bypass security measures.

Known false positives

  • Legitimate use of wmic.exe for reconnaissance of firewall, antivirus and antispywware products.

MITRE ATT&CK coverage

Telemetry coverage

ProviderRecord / event type
SysmonEvent ID 1: Process creation

Rule body

title: Potential Product Class Reconnaissance Via Wmic.EXE
id: e568650b-5dcd-4658-8f34-ded0b1e13992
status: test
description: |
    Detects the execution of WMIC in order to get a list of firewall, antivirus and antispywware products.
    Adversaries often enumerate security products installed on a system to identify security controls and potential ways to evade detection or disable protection mechanisms.
    This information helps them plan their next attack steps and choose appropriate techniques to bypass security measures.
references:
    - https://github.com/albertzsigovits/malware-notes/blob/c820c7fea76cf76a861b28ebc77e06100e20ec29/Ransomware/Maze.md
    - https://www.hybrid-analysis.com/sample/4be06ecd234e2110bd615649fe4a6fa95403979acf889d7e45a78985eb50acf9?environmentId=1
    - https://www.trendmicro.com/en_us/research/25/c/socgholishs-intrusion-techniques-facilitate-distribution-of-rans.html
author: Michael Haag, Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), juju4, oscd.community, Swachchhanda Shrawan Poudel (Nextron Systems)
date: 2023-02-14
modified: 2025-03-17
tags:
    - attack.execution
    - attack.t1047
    - attack.discovery
    - attack.t1082
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection_img:
        - Image|endswith: '\wmic.exe'
        - OriginalFileName: 'wmic.exe'
    selection_cli:
        # Example: wmic.exe /Namespace:\\root\SecurityCenter2 Path AntiVirusProduct Get displayName /Format:List
        CommandLine|contains:
            - 'AntiVirusProduct'
            - 'AntiSpywareProduct'
            - 'FirewallProduct'
    condition: all of selection_*
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate use of wmic.exe for reconnaissance of firewall, antivirus and antispywware products.
level: medium
regression_tests_path: regression_data/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_wmic_recon_product_class/info.yml

Stages and Predicates

Stage 0: condition

all of selection_*

Stage 1: selection_img

selection_img:
    - Image|endswith: '\wmic.exe'
    - OriginalFileName: 'wmic.exe'

Stage 2: selection_cli

selection_cli:
    CommandLine|contains:
        - 'AntiVirusProduct'
        - 'AntiSpywareProduct'
        - 'FirewallProduct'

Indicators

These rows show field, operator, and value matches.

FieldKindValuesSearch
CommandLinematch
  • AntiSpywareProduct
  • AntiVirusProduct
  • FirewallProduct
field:"CommandLine" kind:match
Imageends_with
  • \wmic.exe corpus 62 (sigma 62)
field:"Image" kind:ends_with value:"\wmic.exe"
OriginalFileNameeq
  • wmic.exe corpus 80 (sigma 38, elastic 24, splunk 18)
field:"OriginalFileName" kind:eq value:"wmic.exe"