The rule identifies potentially malicious activity involving 'mshta.exe', a Windows executable commonly exploited by attackers to execute scripts. By monitoring for child processes launched by 'mshta.exe', such as 'powershell.exe' and 'cmd.exe', the detection helps in early threat detection, signaling possible exploitation attempts. The analytic leverages data from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) systems, including Sysmon and Windows Event Logs, to trace process interactions and they enhance visibility into potentially harmful activities within an endpoint environment.