Windows: Important Scheduled Task Deleted/Disabled

Rule ID

PH_Rule_SIGMA_1846

Default Status

Enabled

Description

Detects when adversaries stop services or processes by deleting or disabling their respective scheduled tasks in order to conduct data destructive activities. This rule is adapted from https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/builtin/security/win_security_susp_scheduled_task_delete_or_disable.yml

Severity

MITRE ATT&CK® Tactics

Execution

Execution consists of techniques that result in adversary-controlled code running on a local or remote system. Techniques that run malicious code are often paired with techniques from all other tactics to achieve broader goals, like exploring a network or stealing data. For example, an adversary might use a remote access tool to run a PowerShell script that does Remote System Discovery.

https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0002

MITRE ATT&CK® Techniques

T1053.005

Scheduled Task/Job: Scheduled Task

Adversaries may abuse the Windows Task Scheduler to perform task scheduling for initial or recurring execution of malicious code for persistence. The Windows Task Scheduler can also be abused to conduct remote Execution as part of Lateral Movement and or to run a process under the context of a specified account (such as SYSTEM).

https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1053/005

Impacts

Server

Data Source

Windows Security Log via OMI or FortiSIEM Agent

Detection

Correlation

Remediation Guidance

No remediation guidance specified

Time Window

If the following pattern or patterns match an ingested event within the given time window in seconds, trigger an incident.

300 seconds

Trigger Conditions

If the following defined pattern/s occur within a 300 second time window.

Filter

SubPattern Definitions

SubPattern Name: Filter

This is the named definition of the event query, this is important if multiple subpatterns are defined to distinguish them.

SubPattern Query

This is the query logic that matches incoming events

(eventType IN ("Win-Security-4699","Win-Security-4701") AND task REGEXP ".*\\Windows\\BitLocker.*|.*\\Windows\\ExploitGuard.*|.*\\Windows\\SystemRestore\\SR.*|.*\\Windows\\UpdateOrchestrator\\Schedule.*|.*\\Windows\\Windows Defender\\.*|.*\\Windows\\WindowsBackup\\.*|.*\\Windows\\WindowsUpdate\\.*") AND ((eventType!="Win-Security-4699" OR user NOT REGEXP "\$$" OR task NOT REGEXP ".*\\Windows\\Windows Defender\\.*"))

Group by Attributes

This defines how matching events are aggregated, only events with the same matching attribute values are grouped into one unique incident ID

hostName,task,user

Aggregate Constraint

This is most typically a numerical constraint that defines when the rule should trigger an incident

COUNT(*) >= 1

Incident Attribute Mapping

This section defines which fields in matching raw events should be mapped to the incident attributes in the resulting incident.

The available raw event attributes to map are limited to the group by attributes and the aggregate event constraint fields for each subpattern

hostName = Filter.hostName,
task = Filter.task,
user = Filter.user

FortiSIEM Rules