XSL Script Execution Via WMIC.EXE

Detects the execution of WMIC with the "format" flag to potentially load local XSL files. Adversaries abuse this functionality to execute arbitrary files while potentially bypassing application whitelisting defenses. Extensible Stylesheet Language (XSL) files are commonly used to describe the processing and rendering of data within XML files.

title: XSL Script Execution Via WMIC.EXE
id: 05c36dd6-79d6-4a9a-97da-3db20298ab2d
related:
    - id: 06ce37c2-61ab-4f05-9ff5-b1a96d18ae32
      type: similar
    - id: 8d63dadf-b91b-4187-87b6-34a1114577ea
      type: similar
status: test
description: |
    Detects the execution of WMIC with the "format" flag to potentially load local XSL files.
    Adversaries abuse this functionality to execute arbitrary files while potentially bypassing application whitelisting defenses.
    Extensible Stylesheet Language (XSL) files are commonly used to describe the processing and rendering of data within XML files.
references:
    - https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1220/T1220.md
author: Timur Zinniatullin, oscd.community, Swachchhanda Shrawan Poudel
date: 2019-10-21
modified: 2026-01-24
tags:
    - attack.stealth
    - attack.t1047
    - attack.t1220
    - attack.execution
    - attack.t1059.005
    - attack.t1059.007
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection_img:
        - Image|endswith: '\wmic.exe'
        - OriginalFileName: 'wmic.exe'
        - Hashes|contains:  # Sysmon field hashes contains all types
              - 'IMPHASH=1B1A3F43BF37B5BFE60751F2EE2F326E'
              - 'IMPHASH=37777A96245A3C74EB217308F3546F4C'
              - 'IMPHASH=9D87C9D67CE724033C0B40CC4CA1B206'
              - 'IMPHASH=B12619881D79C3ACADF45E752A58554A'
              - 'IMPHASH=16A48C3CABF98A9DC1BF02C07FE1EA00'
    selection_cmd:
        CommandLine|contains|windash: '-format:'     # wmic process list -FORMAT /? or wmic process list /FORMAT /?
    filter_main_known_format:
        CommandLine|contains:
            - 'Format:List'
            - 'Format:htable'
            - 'Format:hform'
            - 'Format:table'
            - 'Format:mof'
            - 'Format:value'
            - 'Format:rawxml'
            - 'Format:xml'
            - 'Format:csv'
    filter_main_remote_operation: # Covered by 8d63dadf-b91b-4187-87b6-34a1114577ea
        CommandLine|contains:
            - '://'
            - '\\\\'
    condition: all of selection_* and not 1 of filter_main_*
falsepositives:
    - WMIC.exe FP depend on scripts and administrative methods used in the monitored environment.
    - Static format arguments - https://petri.com/command-line-wmi-part-3
level: medium

• T1047Windows Management Instrumentation
• T1059.005Visual Basic
• T1059.007JavaScript
• T1220XSL Script Processing

• https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1220/T1220.md↗