.. /Cscript.exe
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Alternate data streams (WSH)

Binary used to execute scripts in Windows

Paths:

C:\Windows\System32\cscript.exe
C:\Windows\SysWOW64\cscript.exe

Resources:

Acknowledgements:

Oddvar Moe (@oddvarmoe)

Detection:

Sigma: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/62d4fd26b05f4d81973e7c8e80d7c1a0c6a29d0e/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_wscript_cscript_script_exec.yml
Sigma: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/6312dd1d44d309608552105c334948f793e89f48/rules/windows/file/file_event/file_event_win_net_cli_artefact.yml
Elastic: https://github.com/elastic/detection-rules/blob/61afb1c1c0c3f50637b1bb194f3e6fb09f476e50/rules/windows/defense_evasion_unusual_dir_ads.toml
Elastic: https://github.com/elastic/detection-rules/blob/cc241c0b5ec590d76cb88ec638d3cc37f68b5d50/rules/windows/command_and_control_remote_file_copy_scripts.toml
Elastic: https://github.com/elastic/detection-rules/blob/82ec6ac1eeb62a1383792719a1943b551264ed16/rules/windows/defense_evasion_suspicious_managedcode_host_process.toml
Splunk: https://github.com/splunk/security_content/blob/a1afa0fa605639cbef7d528dec46ce7c8112194a/detections/endpoint/wscript_or_cscript_suspicious_child_process.yml
BlockRule: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/threat-protection/windows-defender-application-control/microsoft-recommended-block-rules
IOC: Cscript.exe executing files from alternate data streams
IOC: DotNet CLR libraries loaded into cscript.exe
IOC: DotNet CLR Usage Log - cscript.exe.log

Alternate data streams

Use cscript.exe to exectute a Visual Basic script stored in an Alternate Data Stream (ADS).
```
cscript //e:vbscript c:\ads\file.txt:script.vbs
```
Use case
Can be used to evade defensive countermeasures or to hide as a persistence mechanism

Privileges required
User

Operating systems
Windows vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Windows 11

ATT&CK® technique
T1564.004

Tags
Execute: WSH
This LOLBAS executes scripts in Windows Script Host (WSH) languages, such as VBScript and JScript.