T1059.001

Official Description

Adversaries may abuse PowerShell commands and scripts for execution. PowerShell is a powerful interactive command-line interface and scripting environment included in the Windows operating system.(Citation: TechNet PowerShell) Adversaries can use PowerShell to perform a number of actions, including discovery of information and execution of code. Examples include the <code>Start-Process</code> cmdlet which can be used to run an executable and the <code>Invoke-Command</code> cmdlet which runs a command locally or on a remote computer (though administrator permissions are required to use PowerShell to connect to remote systems).

PowerShell may also be used to download and run executables from the Internet, which can be executed from disk or in memory without touching disk.

A number of PowerShell-based offensive testing tools are available, including [Empire](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0363), [PowerSploit](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0194), [PoshC2](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0378), and PSAttack.(Citation: Github PSAttack)

PowerShell commands/scripts can also be executed without directly invoking the <code>powershell.exe</code> binary through interfaces to PowerShell's underlying <code>System.Management.Automation</code> assembly DLL exposed through the .NET framework and Windows Common Language Interface (CLI).(Citation: Sixdub PowerPick Jan 2016)(Citation: SilentBreak Offensive PS Dec 2015)(Citation: Microsoft PSfromCsharp APR 2014)

Tactics: Execution
Platforms: Windows
Parent Technique: T1059 · Command and Scripting Interpreter
MITRE Version: 1.5
Last Modified: May 12, 2026

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Reported Context (14)

PLYCHIP used PowerShell scripts for screening and staging; CIS CTI confirmed a Remus payload was decrypted and executed within a PowerShell process. CIS Links SLTT Remus C2 Traffic to Three Malware Delivery Chains
The Windows BAT loader used PowerShell to download and execute additional code. JSCEAL Malware Spread Through Fake Cryptocurrency Exchange Ads on Facebook
The malicious HTA file launches a PowerShell script in the background. Phishing Emails Use Fake Purchase Requests to Deliver Remcos RAT
PowerShell scripts reconstruct and execute commands, run the secondary payload, and launch a subsequent elevated PowerShell process. Phishing Quote Requests Deliver Remcos RAT via Obfuscated PowerShell
The attacker uses PowerShell to execute the privilege-enabling script and trigger Print Spooler activity. Windows Privilege Escalation via SeManageVolumePrivilege

CVE (4)

Malware (16)

Threat Actors (6)

MITRE ATT&CK (79)

Vendors (12)

Products (48)

Tools (25)

Industries (9)

Countries (13)

Note: Related entities, including threat actors, malware, CVEs, MITRE ATT&CK techniques, vendors, products, tools, countries, and industries, are shown when they appear in the same reporting. Their presence does not necessarily mean they were targeted, compromised, vulnerable, responsible for the activity, or directly involved in the incident.