Service Startup Type Change Via Wmic.EXE — Sigma Rule

Rule metadata and linked tags

Author: Swachchhanda Shrawan Poudel (Nextron Systems). Source status: experimental; severity: medium. Source dates: 2026-04-27 / not supplied.

{
  "category": "process_creation",
  "product": "windows"
}

Pinned original Sigma rule · Detection Rule License 1.1

Source SHA-256: 78160dd4a1e1e602a93fa082e82955bad949c5b4b1bf3a5ce33ebd44fe1f6749

Detection logic

Original source YAML. Source-tag agreement is not proof of complete semantic coverage. This rule has not been compiled for a SIEM backend or validated against live telemetry here.

title: Service Startup Type Change Via Wmic.EXE
id: c0514f28-fdae-42df-b886-06e2b2bc5b37
status: experimental
description: |
    Detects changes to service startup type to 'disabled' or 'manual' using the WMIC command-line utility.
references:
    - https://blog.talosintelligence.com/uncovering-qilin-attack-methods-exposed-through-multiple-cases/
author: Swachchhanda Shrawan Poudel (Nextron Systems)
date: 2026-04-27
tags:
    - attack.execution
    - attack.defense-impairment
    - attack.t1047
    - attack.t1685
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection_img:
        - Image|endswith: '\WMIC.exe'
        - OriginalFileName: 'wmic.exe'
    selection_cli:
        CommandLine|contains|all:
            - ' service '
            - 'ChangeStartMode'
        CommandLine|contains:
            - 'Manual'
            - 'Disabled'
    condition: all of selection_*
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate administrative changes to service startup types using WMIC, investigate accordingly.
level: medium
regression_tests_path: regression_data/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_wmic_service_startup_change/info.yml

Original YAML and metadata in JSON

False positives

• Legitimate administrative changes to service startup types using WMIC, investigate accordingly.

Source references

• https://blog.talosintelligence.com/uncovering-qilin-attack-methods-exposed-through-multiple-cases/