Suspicious WSMAN Provider Image Loads

 1title: Suspicious WSMAN Provider Image Loads
 2id: ad1f4bb9-8dfb-4765-adb6-2a7cfb6c0f94
 3status: test
 4description: Detects signs of potential use of the WSMAN provider from uncommon processes locally and remote execution.
 5references:
 6    - https://twitter.com/chadtilbury/status/1275851297770610688
 7    - https://bohops.com/2020/05/12/ws-management-com-another-approach-for-winrm-lateral-movement/
 8    - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/winrm/windows-remote-management-architecture
 9    - https://github.com/bohops/WSMan-WinRM
10author: Roberto Rodriguez (Cyb3rWard0g), OTR (Open Threat Research)
11date: 2020-06-24
12modified: 2025-10-17
13tags:
14    - attack.execution
15    - attack.t1059.001
16    - attack.lateral-movement
17    - attack.t1021.003
18logsource:
19    category: image_load
20    product: windows
21detection:
22    request_client:
23        - ImageLoaded|endswith:
24              - '\WsmSvc.dll'
25              - '\WsmAuto.dll'
26              - '\Microsoft.WSMan.Management.ni.dll'
27        - OriginalFileName:
28              - 'WsmSvc.dll'
29              - 'WSMANAUTOMATION.DLL'
30              - 'Microsoft.WSMan.Management.dll'
31    respond_server:
32        Image|endswith: '\svchost.exe'
33        OriginalFileName: 'WsmWmiPl.dll'
34    filter_general:
35        Image:
36            - 'C:\Program Files (x86)\PowerShell\6\pwsh.exe'
37            - 'C:\Program Files (x86)\PowerShell\7\pwsh.exe'
38            - 'C:\Program Files\PowerShell\6\pwsh.exe'
39            - 'C:\Program Files\PowerShell\7\pwsh.exe'
40            - 'C:\Windows\System32\sdiagnhost.exe'
41            - 'C:\Windows\System32\services.exe'
42            - 'C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell_ise.exe'
43            - 'C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe'
44    filter_svchost: # not available in Sysmon data, but Aurora logs
45        CommandLine|contains:
46            - 'svchost.exe -k netsvcs -p -s BITS'
47            - 'svchost.exe -k GraphicsPerfSvcGroup -s GraphicsPerfSvc'
48            - 'svchost.exe -k NetworkService -p -s Wecsvc'
49            - 'svchost.exe -k netsvcs'
50    filter_mscorsvw: # Image: C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319\mscorsvw.exe
51        Image|startswith:
52            - 'C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v'
53            - 'C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v'
54            - 'C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\FrameworkArm\v'
55            - 'C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\FrameworkArm64\v'
56        Image|endswith: '\mscorsvw.exe'
57    filter_svr_2019:
58        Image:
59            - 'C:\Windows\System32\Configure-SMRemoting.exe'
60            - 'C:\Windows\System32\ServerManager.exe'
61    filter_nextron:
62        Image|startswith: 'C:\Windows\Temp\asgard2-agent\'
63    filter_citrix:
64        Image|startswith: 'C:\Program Files\Citrix\'
65    filter_upgrade:
66        Image|startswith: 'C:\$WINDOWS.~BT\Sources\'
67    filter_mmc:
68        Image|endswith: '\mmc.exe'
69    svchost:
70        Image|endswith: '\svchost.exe'
71    commandline_null:
72        CommandLine: null
73    condition: ( request_client or respond_server ) and not 1 of filter* and not ( svchost and commandline_null )
74falsepositives:
75    - Unknown
76level: medium