Elastic Security Detection Rules

Suspicious Process Execution via Renamed PsExec Executable

Last updated 9 days ago on 2025-05-05
Created 5 years ago on 2020-08-14

About

Identifies suspicious psexec activity which is executing from the psexec service that has been renamed, possibly to evade detection.
Tags
Domain: EndpointOS: WindowsUse Case: Threat DetectionTactic: ExecutionTactic: Defense EvasionData Source: Elastic EndgameData Source: Elastic DefendData Source: SysmonData Source: Microsoft Defender for EndpointLanguage: eql
Severity
medium
Risk Score
47
MITRE ATT&CK™

Execution (TA0002)(opens in a new tab or window)

↳ System Services (T1569)(opens in a new tab or window)

Defense Evasion (TA0005)(opens in a new tab or window)

↳ Masquerading (T1036)(opens in a new tab or window)

License
Elastic License v2(opens in a new tab or window)

Definition

Rule Type
Event Correlation Rule
Integration Pack
Prebuilt Security Detection Rules
Index Patterns
winlogbeat-*logs-endpoint.events.process-*logs-windows.sysmon_operational-*endgame-*logs-m365_defender.event-*
Related Integrations

endpoint(opens in a new tab or window)

windows(opens in a new tab or window)

m365_defender(opens in a new tab or window)

Query
process where host.os.type == "windows" and event.type == "start" and
  process.pe.original_file_name : "psexesvc.exe" and not process.name : "PSEXESVC.exe"

Install detection rules in Elastic Security

Detect Suspicious Process Execution via Renamed PsExec Executable in the Elastic Security detection engine by installing this rule into your Elastic Stack.

To setup this rule, check out the installation guide for Prebuilt Security Detection Rules(opens in a new tab or window).