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detecting-suspicious-powershell-execution

detecting-suspicious-powershell-execution

github.com/mukul975Security35.2k57 installsUpdated 8w ago
Repository

About detecting-suspicious-powershell-execution

A threat-hunting skill for security analysts investigating suspicious PowerShell execution. It outlines a process from hypothesis and telemetry selection through query analysis, validation, correlation, and reporting.

Key features

  1. 01Form hypotheses from threat intelligence
  2. 02Identify relevant logs and telemetry
  3. 03Query SIEM and EDR platforms
  4. 04Correlate findings with attack chains
  5. 05Document findings and response actions

Use cases

  1. 01Investigate EDR or SIEM alerts
  2. 02Pursue activity in threat intelligence reports
  3. 03Scope PowerShell-related incidents
  4. 04Conduct periodic security assessments

Install

Copy the command and run it in a terminal.

$npx skills add https://github.com/mukul975/anthropic-cybersecurity-skills --skill detecting-suspicious-powershell-execution

After installing, type/detecting-suspicious-powershell-executionin Claude Code to confirm it loaded.

Bundled files

References and scripts installed along with SKILL.md.

LICENSE
assets/
template.md
references/
api-reference.md
standards.md
workflows.md
scripts/
agent.py
process.py

Details

From the project README

Detecting Suspicious Powershell Execution

When to Use

  • When proactively hunting for indicators of detecting suspicious powershell execution in the environment
  • After threat intelligence indicates active campaigns using these techniques
  • During incident response to scope compromise related to these techniques
  • When EDR or SIEM alerts trigger on related indicators
  • During periodic security assessments and purple team exercises

Prerequisites

  • EDR platform with process and network telemetry (CrowdStrike, MDE, SentinelOne)
  • SIEM with relevant log data ingested (Splunk, Elastic, Sentinel)
  • Sysmon deployed with comprehensive configuration
  • Windows Security Event Log forwarding enabled
  • Threat intelligence feeds for IOC correlation

Workflow

  1. Formulate Hypothesis: Define a testable hypothesis based on threat intelligence or ATT&CK gap analysis.
  2. Identify Data Sources: Determine which logs and telemetry are needed to validate or refute the hypothesis.
  3. Execute Queries: Run detection queries against SIEM and EDR platforms to collect relevant events.
  4. Analyze Results: Examine query results for anomalies, correlating across multiple data sources.
  5. Validate Findings: Distinguish true positives from false positives through contextual analysis.
  6. Correlate Activity: Link findings to broader attack chains and threat actor TTPs.
  7. Document and Report: Record findings, update detection rules, and recommend response actions.

Key Concepts

ConceptDescription
T1059.001PowerShell
T1059.003Windows Command Shell
T1562.001Disable or Modify Tools

Tools & Systems

ToolPurpose
CrowdStrike FalconEDR telemetry and threat detection
Microsoft Defender for EndpointAdvanced hunting with KQL
Splunk EnterpriseSIEM log analysis with SPL queries
Elastic SecurityDetection rules and investigation timeline
SysmonDetailed Windows event monitoring
VelociraptorEndpoint artifact collection and hunting
Sigma RulesCross-platform detection rule format

Common Scenarios

  1. Scenario 1: Base64 encoded PowerShell command launched by macro document
  2. Scenario 2: IEX download cradle fetching payload from C2 server
  3. Scenario 3: AMSI bypass via reflection patching before payload execution
  4. Scenario 4: PowerShell Empire agent communicating with C2

Output Format

Hunt ID: TH-DETECT-[DATE]-[SEQ]
Technique: T1059.001
Host: [Hostname]
User: [Account context]
Evidence: [Log entries, process trees, network data]
Risk Level: [Critical/High/Medium/Low]
Confidence: [High/Medium/Low]
Recommended Action: [Containment, investigation, monitoring]

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