{"id":"b730a276-6b63-41b8-bcf8-55930c8fc6ee","title":"Csc.EXE Execution Form Potentially Suspicious Parent","description":"Detects a potentially suspicious parent of \"csc.exe\", which could be a sign of payload delivery.","author":"Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), X__Junior (Nextron Systems)","status":"test","level":"high","date":"2019-02-11","modified":"2026-03-23","tags":["attack.execution","attack.stealth","attack.t1059.005","attack.t1059.007","attack.t1218.005","attack.t1027.004"],"technique_ids":["T1027.004","T1059.005","T1059.007","T1218.005"],"logsource":{"category":"process_creation","product":"windows"},"falsepositives":["Unknown"],"references":["https://www.uptycs.com/blog/warzonerat-can-now-evade-with-process-hollowing","https://reaqta.com/2017/11/short-journey-darkvnc/","https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/issues/cybersecurity/cyber-threat-intelligence/yellow-liderc-ships-its-scripts-delivers-imaploader-malware.html"],"source_path":"rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_csc_susp_parent.yml","source_sha256":"4077ec80a23342a852c1604f11236b6190187f1ce11b028231ec40de80333a0b","source_url":"https://github.com/anpa1200/sigma/blob/b249e9683190cffdcaf188ccbfb90bf4759844e1/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_csc_susp_parent.yml","license":"Detection Rule License 1.1","license_url":"https://github.com/SigmaHQ/Detection-Rule-License/blob/main/LICENSE.Detection.Rules.md","yaml":"title: Csc.EXE Execution Form Potentially Suspicious Parent\nid: b730a276-6b63-41b8-bcf8-55930c8fc6ee\nstatus: test\ndescription: Detects a potentially suspicious parent of \"csc.exe\", which could be a sign of payload delivery.\nreferences:\n    - https://www.uptycs.com/blog/warzonerat-can-now-evade-with-process-hollowing\n    - https://reaqta.com/2017/11/short-journey-darkvnc/\n    - https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/issues/cybersecurity/cyber-threat-intelligence/yellow-liderc-ships-its-scripts-delivers-imaploader-malware.html\nauthor: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), X__Junior (Nextron Systems)\ndate: 2019-02-11\nmodified: 2026-03-23\ntags:\n    - attack.execution\n    - attack.stealth\n    - attack.t1059.005\n    - attack.t1059.007\n    - attack.t1218.005\n    - attack.t1027.004\nlogsource:\n    category: process_creation\n    product: windows\ndetection:\n    selection_img:\n        - Image|endswith: '\\csc.exe'\n        - OriginalFileName: 'csc.exe'\n    selection_parent_generic:\n        ParentImage|endswith:\n            - '\\cscript.exe'\n            - '\\excel.exe'\n            - '\\mshta.exe'\n            - '\\onenote.exe'\n            - '\\outlook.exe'\n            - '\\powerpnt.exe'\n            - '\\winword.exe'\n            - '\\wscript.exe'\n    selection_parent_powershell:\n        ParentImage|endswith:\n            - '\\powershell.exe'\n            - '\\pwsh.exe'\n        ParentCommandLine|contains:\n            - '-Encoded '\n            - 'FromBase64String'\n    selection_parent_susp_location:\n        - ParentCommandLine|re: '(?:[Pp]rogram[Dd]ata|%(?:[Ll]ocal)?[Aa]pp[Dd]ata%|\\\\[Aa]pp[Dd]ata\\\\(?:[Ll]ocal(?:[Ll]ow)?|[Rr]oaming))\\\\[^\\\\]{1,256}$'\n        - ParentCommandLine|contains:\n              - ':\\PerfLogs\\'\n              - ':\\Users\\Public\\'\n              - ':\\Windows\\Temp\\'\n              - '\\Temporary Internet'\n        - ParentCommandLine|contains|all:\n              - ':\\Users\\'\n              - '\\Favorites\\'\n        - ParentCommandLine|contains|all:\n              - ':\\Users\\'\n              - '\\Favourites\\'\n        - ParentCommandLine|contains|all:\n              - ':\\Users\\'\n              - '\\Contacts\\'\n        - ParentCommandLine|contains|all:\n              - ':\\Users\\'\n              - '\\Pictures\\'\n    filter_main_programfiles:\n        # Note: this is a generic filter. You could baseline execution in your env for a more robust rule\n        ParentImage|startswith:\n            - 'C:\\Program Files (x86)\\' # https://twitter.com/gN3mes1s/status/1206874118282448897\n            - 'C:\\Program Files\\' # https://twitter.com/gN3mes1s/status/1206874118282448897\n    filter_main_sdiagnhost:\n        ParentImage: 'C:\\Windows\\System32\\sdiagnhost.exe' # https://twitter.com/gN3mes1s/status/1206874118282448897\n    filter_main_w3p:\n        ParentImage: 'C:\\Windows\\System32\\inetsrv\\w3wp.exe' # https://twitter.com/gabriele_pippi/status/1206907900268072962\n    filter_optional_chocolatey:\n        ParentImage: 'C:\\ProgramData\\chocolatey\\choco.exe' # Chocolatey https://chocolatey.org/\n    filter_optional_defender:\n        ParentCommandLine|contains: '\\ProgramData\\Microsoft\\Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection'\n    filter_optional_ansible:\n        # Note: As ansible is widely used we exclude it with this generic filter.\n        # A better option would be to filter based on script content basis or other marker while hunting\n        ParentCommandLine|contains:\n            # '{\"failed\":true,\"msg\":\"Ansible requires PowerShell v3.0 or newer\"}'\n            - 'JwB7ACIAZgBhAGkAbABlAGQAIgA6AHQAcgB1AGUALAAiAG0AcwBnACIAOgAiAEEAbgBzAGkAYgBsAGUAIAByAGUAcQB1AGkAcgBlAHMAIABQAG8AdwBlAHIAUwBoAGUAbABsACAAdgAzAC4AMAAgAG8AcgAgAG4AZQB3AGUAcgAiAH0AJw'\n            - 'cAewAiAGYAYQBpAGwAZQBkACIAOgB0AHIAdQBlACwAIgBtAHMAZwAiADoAIgBBAG4AcwBpAGIAbABlACAAcgBlAHEAdQBpAHIAZQBzACAAUABvAHcAZQByAFMAaABlAGwAbAAgAHYAMwAuADAAIABvAHIAIABuAGUAdwBlAHIAIgB9ACcA'\n            - 'nAHsAIgBmAGEAaQBsAGUAZAAiADoAdAByAHUAZQAsACIAbQBzAGcAIgA6ACIAQQBuAHMAaQBiAGwAZQAgAHIAZQBxAHUAaQByAGUAcwAgAFAAbwB3AGUAcgBTAGgAZQBsAGwAIAB2ADMALgAwACAAbwByACAAbgBlAHcAZQByACIAfQAnA'\n    condition: selection_img and 1 of selection_parent_* and not 1 of filter_main_* and not 1 of filter_optional_*\nfalsepositives:\n    - Unknown\nlevel: high\n","validation":"yaml_parsed_not_backend_compiled_or_live_validated","techniques":[{"key":"enterprise/T1027.004","id":"T1027.004","name":"Compile After Delivery","page":"techniques/enterprise/T1027.004/"},{"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/T1218.005","id":"T1218.005","name":"Mshta","page":"techniques/enterprise/T1218.005/"}],"data_path":"data/detection-rules/b730a276-6b63-41b8-bcf8-55930c8fc6ee.json","kind":"sigma"}