Detection rules › Sigma
Potential Dropper Script Execution Via WScript/CScript/MSHTA
Detects wscript/cscript/mshta executions of scripts located in user directories
MITRE ATT&CK coverage
Event coverage
| Provider | Event | Title |
|---|---|---|
| Sysmon | Event ID 1 | Process creation |
| Security-Auditing | Event ID 4688 | A new process has been created. |
Rule body yaml
title: Potential Dropper Script Execution Via WScript/CScript/MSHTA
id: cea72823-df4d-4567-950c-0b579eaf0846
related:
- id: 1e33157c-53b1-41ad-bbcc-780b80b58288
type: similar
status: test
description: Detects wscript/cscript/mshta executions of scripts located in user directories
references:
- https://thedfirreport.com/2023/10/30/netsupport-intrusion-results-in-domain-compromise/
- https://redcanary.com/blog/gootloader/
- https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2025/03/06/malvertising-campaign-leads-to-info-stealers-hosted-on-github/
author: Margaritis Dimitrios (idea), Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), oscd.community, Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), Dave Johnson
date: 2019-01-16
modified: 2026-02-17
tags:
- attack.execution
- attack.t1059.005
- attack.t1059.007
logsource:
category: process_creation
product: windows
detection:
selection_exec:
Image|endswith:
- '\wscript.exe'
- '\cscript.exe'
- '\mshta.exe'
selection_paths:
CommandLine|contains:
- ':\Perflogs\'
- ':\Temp\'
- ':\Tmp\'
- ':\Users\Public\'
- ':\Windows\Temp\'
- '\AppData\Local\Temp\'
- '\AppData\Roaming\Temp\'
- '\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\'
- '\Temporary Internet'
- '\Windows\Temp'
- '%LocalAppData%\Temp\'
- '%TEMP%'
- '%TMP%'
selection_ext:
CommandLine|contains:
- '.hta'
- '.js'
- '.jse'
- '.vba'
- '.vbe'
- '.vbs'
- '.wsf'
- '.wsh'
condition: all of selection_*
falsepositives:
- Some installers might generate a similar behavior. An initial baseline is required
level: medium
Stages and Predicates
Stage 0: condition
all of selection_*Stage 1: selection_exec
selection_exec:
Image|endswith:
- '\wscript.exe'
- '\cscript.exe'
- '\mshta.exe'
Stage 2: selection_paths
selection_paths:
CommandLine|contains:
- ':\Perflogs\'
- ':\Temp\'
- ':\Tmp\'
- ':\Users\Public\'
- ':\Windows\Temp\'
- '\AppData\Local\Temp\'
- '\AppData\Roaming\Temp\'
- '\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\'
- '\Temporary Internet'
- '\Windows\Temp'
- '%LocalAppData%\Temp\'
- '%TEMP%'
- '%TMP%'
Stage 3: selection_ext
selection_ext:
CommandLine|contains:
- '.hta'
- '.js'
- '.jse'
- '.vba'
- '.vbe'
- '.vbs'
- '.wsf'
- '.wsh'
Indicators
Each row is a field, operator, and value that the rule matches. The corpus column counts how many other rules in the catalog look for the same combination: high numbers point to widely-used, community-vetted indicators. Blank or 1 shows that the indicator is specific to this rule.
| Field | Kind | Values |
|---|---|---|
CommandLine | match |
|
Image | ends_with |
|