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MediumSigmaHQVladan Sekulic +1

Cmd Launched with Hidden Start Flags to Suspicious Targets

Detects cmd.exe executing commands with the "start" utility using "/b" (no window) or "/min" (minimized) flags. To reduce false positives from standard background tasks, detection is restricted to scenarios where the…

Description

Detects cmd.exe executing commands with the "start" utility using "/b" (no window) or "/min" (minimized) flags. To reduce false positives from standard background tasks, detection is restricted to scenarios where the target is a known script extension or located in suspicious temporary/public directories. This technique was observed in Chaos, DarkSide, and Emotet malware campaigns.

Detection logic

Detection requirements

Platform
LinuxmacOSWindows

The rule states no platform. This is derived from the ATT&CK technique it maps to.

Log source product
windows
Log source category
process_creation

Known benign triggers

  • Legitimate administrative scripts running from temporary folders.
  • Niche software updaters utilizing hidden batch files in ProgramData.

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