{"id":"05c36dd6-79d6-4a9a-97da-3db20298ab2d","title":"XSL Script Execution Via WMIC.EXE","description":"Detects the execution of WMIC with the \"format\" flag to potentially load local XSL files.\nAdversaries abuse this functionality to execute arbitrary files while potentially bypassing application whitelisting defenses.\nExtensible Stylesheet Language (XSL) files are commonly used to describe the processing and rendering of data within XML files.\n","author":"Timur Zinniatullin, oscd.community, Swachchhanda Shrawan Poudel","status":"test","level":"medium","date":"2019-10-21","modified":"2026-01-24","tags":["attack.stealth","attack.t1047","attack.t1220","attack.execution","attack.t1059.005","attack.t1059.007"],"technique_ids":["T1047","T1059.005","T1059.007","T1220"],"logsource":{"category":"process_creation","product":"windows"},"falsepositives":["WMIC.exe FP depend on scripts and administrative methods used in the monitored environment.","Static format arguments - https://petri.com/command-line-wmi-part-3"],"references":["https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1220/T1220.md"],"source_path":"rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_wmic_xsl_script_processing.yml","source_sha256":"b2a6e7ab1403d49d78a67004b22ec7a4660e57943549ab9fdb54f37f43e2ea51","source_url":"https://github.com/anpa1200/sigma/blob/b249e9683190cffdcaf188ccbfb90bf4759844e1/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_wmic_xsl_script_processing.yml","license":"Detection Rule License 1.1","license_url":"https://github.com/SigmaHQ/Detection-Rule-License/blob/main/LICENSE.Detection.Rules.md","yaml":"title: XSL Script Execution Via WMIC.EXE\nid: 05c36dd6-79d6-4a9a-97da-3db20298ab2d\nrelated:\n    - id: 06ce37c2-61ab-4f05-9ff5-b1a96d18ae32\n      type: similar\n    - id: 8d63dadf-b91b-4187-87b6-34a1114577ea\n      type: similar\nstatus: test\ndescription: |\n    Detects the execution of WMIC with the \"format\" flag to potentially load local XSL files.\n    Adversaries abuse this functionality to execute arbitrary files while potentially bypassing application whitelisting defenses.\n    Extensible Stylesheet Language (XSL) files are commonly used to describe the processing and rendering of data within XML files.\nreferences:\n    - https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1220/T1220.md\nauthor: Timur Zinniatullin, oscd.community, Swachchhanda Shrawan Poudel\ndate: 2019-10-21\nmodified: 2026-01-24\ntags:\n    - attack.stealth\n    - attack.t1047\n    - attack.t1220\n    - attack.execution\n    - attack.t1059.005\n    - attack.t1059.007\nlogsource:\n    category: process_creation\n    product: windows\ndetection:\n    selection_img:\n        - Image|endswith: '\\wmic.exe'\n        - OriginalFileName: 'wmic.exe'\n        - Hashes|contains:  # Sysmon field hashes contains all types\n              - 'IMPHASH=1B1A3F43BF37B5BFE60751F2EE2F326E'\n              - 'IMPHASH=37777A96245A3C74EB217308F3546F4C'\n              - 'IMPHASH=9D87C9D67CE724033C0B40CC4CA1B206'\n              - 'IMPHASH=B12619881D79C3ACADF45E752A58554A'\n              - 'IMPHASH=16A48C3CABF98A9DC1BF02C07FE1EA00'\n    selection_cmd:\n        CommandLine|contains|windash: '-format:'     # wmic process list -FORMAT /? or wmic process list /FORMAT /?\n    filter_main_known_format:\n        CommandLine|contains:\n            - 'Format:List'\n            - 'Format:htable'\n            - 'Format:hform'\n            - 'Format:table'\n            - 'Format:mof'\n            - 'Format:value'\n            - 'Format:rawxml'\n            - 'Format:xml'\n            - 'Format:csv'\n    filter_main_remote_operation: # Covered by 8d63dadf-b91b-4187-87b6-34a1114577ea\n        CommandLine|contains:\n            - '://'\n            - '\\\\\\\\'\n    condition: all of selection_* and not 1 of filter_main_*\nfalsepositives:\n    - WMIC.exe FP depend on scripts and administrative methods used in the monitored environment.\n    - Static format arguments - https://petri.com/command-line-wmi-part-3\nlevel: medium\n","validation":"yaml_parsed_not_backend_compiled_or_live_validated","techniques":[{"key":"enterprise/T1047","id":"T1047","name":"Windows Management Instrumentation","page":"techniques/enterprise/T1047/"},{"key":"enterprise/T1059.005","id":"T1059.005","name":"Visual Basic","page":"techniques/enterprise/T1059.005/"},{"key":"enterprise/T1059.007","id":"T1059.007","name":"JavaScript","page":"techniques/enterprise/T1059.007/"},{"key":"enterprise/T1220","id":"T1220","name":"XSL Script Processing","page":"techniques/enterprise/T1220/"}],"data_path":"data/detection-rules/05c36dd6-79d6-4a9a-97da-3db20298ab2d.json","kind":"sigma"}