Phoenix Studio

Convert indexed Sigma rules into analyst-ready detections.

This studio is built around Phoenix's own rule corpus, not a blank editor. Search by title or rule id, choose a live sigma-cli backend, then reveal pipelines only when you actually need them.

Browse Rules Explore Ecosystem

Indexed Rules

3,707

Ready to search

Backends

Live from sigconverter.io

CLI Versions

Newest: 2.0.2

Translation Workspace

Shape the rule before it leaves Phoenix

Tune Translation

Active Rule

VMToolsd Suspicious Child Process

sigma-cli version

Backend

Format

Target Profile

Splunk

Splunk SPL & tstats data model queries

Format Mode

Default

Plain SPL queries

Conversion Output

VMToolsd Suspicious Child Process

Using Splunk · Default · sigma-cli 2.0.2

Translation controls

Adjust the rule on the left, then regenerate when you want a fresh backend-native query.

BackendSplunkFormatDefaultVersion2.0.2

title: VMToolsd Suspicious Child Process
id: 5687f942-867b-4578-ade7-1e341c46e99a
status: test
description: Detects suspicious child process creations of VMware Tools process which may indicate persistence setup
references:
    - https://bohops.com/2021/10/08/analyzing-and-detecting-a-vmtools-persistence-technique/
    - https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/61026070/136518004-b68cce7d-f9b8-4e9a-9b7b-53b1568a9a94.png
    - https://github.com/vmware/open-vm-tools/blob/master/open-vm-tools/tools.conf
author: bohops, Bhabesh Raj
date: 2021-10-08
modified: 2023-07-25
tags:
    - attack.execution
    - attack.persistence
    - attack.t1059
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection_parent:
        ParentImage|endswith: '\vmtoolsd.exe'
    selection_img:
        - Image|endswith:
              - '\cmd.exe'
              - '\cscript.exe'
              - '\mshta.exe'
              - '\powershell.exe'
              - '\pwsh.exe'
              - '\regsvr32.exe'
              - '\rundll32.exe'
              - '\wscript.exe'
        - OriginalFileName:
              - 'Cmd.Exe'
              - 'cscript.exe'
              - 'MSHTA.EXE'
              - 'PowerShell.EXE'
              - 'pwsh.dll'
              - 'REGSVR32.EXE'
              - 'RUNDLL32.EXE'
              - 'wscript.exe'
    filter_main_vmwaretools_script:
        Image|endswith: '\cmd.exe'
        CommandLine|contains:
            - '\VMware\VMware Tools\poweron-vm-default.bat'
            - '\VMware\VMware Tools\poweroff-vm-default.bat'
            - '\VMware\VMware Tools\resume-vm-default.bat'
            - '\VMware\VMware Tools\suspend-vm-default.bat'
    filter_main_empty:
        Image|endswith: '\cmd.exe'
        CommandLine: ''
    filter_main_null:
        Image|endswith: '\cmd.exe'
        CommandLine: null
    condition: all of selection* and not 1 of filter_main_*
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate use by VM administrator
level: high

CLI command

Copy the exact command to reproduce this translation locally.

sigma convert --without-pipeline -t splunk -f default rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_vmware_vmtoolsd_susp_child_process.yml