Sysinternals PsSuspend Suspicious Execution
Detects suspicious execution of Sysinternals PsSuspend, where the utility is used to suspend critical processes such as AV or EDR to bypass defenses
Detection logic
selection_img
- OriginalFileName: pssuspend.exe
- Image|endswith:
- \pssuspend.exe
- \pssuspend64.exe
- \pssuspend64a.exeselection_cli
CommandLine|contains: msmpeng.exeCondition
all of selection_*Raw YAML
title: Sysinternals PsSuspend Suspicious Execution
id: 4beb6ae0-f85b-41e2-8f18-8668abc8af78
related:
- id: 48bbc537-b652-4b4e-bd1d-281172df448f # Basic Execution
type: similar
status: test
description: Detects suspicious execution of Sysinternals PsSuspend, where the utility is used to suspend critical processes such as AV or EDR to bypass defenses
references:
- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/pssuspend
- https://twitter.com/0gtweet/status/1638069413717975046
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems)
date: 2023-03-23
modified: 2026-06-29
tags:
- attack.defense-impairment
- attack.t1685
logsource:
category: process_creation
product: windows
detection:
selection_img:
- OriginalFileName: 'pssuspend.exe'
- Image|endswith:
- '\pssuspend.exe'
- '\pssuspend64.exe'
- '\pssuspend64a.exe'
selection_cli:
# Add more interesting/critical processes
CommandLine|contains: 'msmpeng.exe'
condition: all of selection_*
falsepositives:
- Unlikely
level: highFalse positives
- Unlikely