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Windows File Download Via PowerShell

The following analytic detects the use of PowerShell's download methods such as "DownloadString" and "DownloadData" from the WebClient class or Invoke-WebRequest and it's aliases "IWR" or "Curl". It leverages data…

Description

The following analytic detects the use of PowerShell's download methods such as "DownloadString" and "DownloadData" from the WebClient class or Invoke-WebRequest and it's aliases "IWR" or "Curl". It leverages data from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agents, focusing on process execution logs that include command-line details. This activity can be significant such methods and functions are commonly used in malicious PowerShell scripts to fetch and execute remote code. If confirmed malicious, this behavior could allow an attacker to download and run arbitrary code, potentially leading to unauthorized access, data exfiltration, or further compromise of the affected system.

Detection logic

Detection requirements

Platform
ESXiLinuxmacOSNetwork DevicesWindows

The rule states no platform. This is derived from the 2 ATT&CK techniques it maps to.

Known benign triggers

  • False positives may be present and filtering will need to occur by parent process or command line argument. It may be required to modify this query to an EDR product for more granular coverage.

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