Sigma Rules
889 rules found for "persistence"
Potential Persistence Via Security Descriptors - ScriptBlock
Detects usage of certain functions and keywords that are used to manipulate security descriptors in order to potentially set a backdoor. As seen used in the DAMP project.
Suspicious GetTypeFromCLSID ShellExecute
Detects suspicious Powershell code that execute COM Objects
Suspicious Service DACL Modification Via Set-Service Cmdlet - PS
Detects usage of the "Set-Service" powershell cmdlet to configure a new SecurityDescriptor that allows a service to be hidden from other utilities such as "sc.exe", "Get-Service"...etc. (Works only in powershell 7)
Potential Persistence Via PowerShell User Profile Using Add-Content
Detects calls to "Add-Content" cmdlet in order to modify the content of the user profile and potentially adding suspicious commands for persistence
Abuse of Service Permissions to Hide Services Via Set-Service - PS
Detects usage of the "Set-Service" powershell cmdlet to configure a new SecurityDescriptor that allows a service to be hidden from other utilities such as "sc.exe", "Get-Service"...etc. (Works only in powershell 7)
Registry Modification Attempt Via VBScript - PowerShell
Detects attempts to modify the registry using VBScript's CreateObject("Wscript.shell") and RegWrite methods embedded within PowerShell scripts or commands. Threat actors commonly embed VBScript code within PowerShell to perform registry modifications, attempting to evade detection that monitors for direct registry access through traditional tools. This technique can be used for persistence, defense evasion, and privilege escalation by modifying registry keys without using regedit.exe, reg.exe, or PowerShell's native registry cmdlets.
Winlogon Helper DLL
Winlogon.exe is a Windows component responsible for actions at logon/logoff as well as the secure attention sequence (SAS) triggered by Ctrl-Alt-Delete. Registry entries in HKLM\Software[Wow6432Node]Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\ and HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\ are used to manage additional helper programs and functionalities that support Winlogon. Malicious modifications to these Registry keys may cause Winlogon to load and execute malicious DLLs and/or executables.
Powershell WMI Persistence
Adversaries may establish persistence and elevate privileges by executing malicious content triggered by a Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) event subscription.
Interactive AT Job
Detects an interactive AT job, which may be used as a form of privilege escalation.
Suspicious Autorun Registry Modified via WMI
Detects suspicious activity where the WMIC process is used to create an autorun registry entry via reg.exe, which is often indicative of persistence mechanisms employed by malware.
Potential Ransomware or Unauthorized MBR Tampering Via Bcdedit.EXE
Detects potential malicious and unauthorized usage of bcdedit.exe
File Download Via Bitsadmin
Detects usage of bitsadmin downloading a file
Suspicious Download From Direct IP Via Bitsadmin
Detects usage of bitsadmin downloading a file using an URL that contains an IP
Suspicious Download From File-Sharing Website Via Bitsadmin
Detects usage of bitsadmin downloading a file from a suspicious domain
File With Suspicious Extension Downloaded Via Bitsadmin
Detects usage of bitsadmin downloading a file with a suspicious extension
File Download Via Bitsadmin To A Suspicious Target Folder
Detects usage of bitsadmin downloading a file to a suspicious target folder
Monitoring For Persistence Via BITS
BITS will allow you to schedule a command to execute after a successful download to notify you that the job is finished. When the job runs on the system the command specified in the BITS job will be executed. This can be abused by actors to create a backdoor within the system and for persistence. It will be chained in a BITS job to schedule the download of malware/additional binaries and execute the program after being downloaded.
Chromium Browser Instance Executed With Custom Extension
Detects a Chromium based browser process with the 'load-extension' flag to start a instance with a custom extension
Suspicious Chromium Browser Instance Executed With Custom Extension
Detects a suspicious process spawning a Chromium based browser process with the 'load-extension' flag to start an instance with a custom extension
Cloudflared Tunnel Execution
Detects execution of the "cloudflared" tool to connect back to a tunnel. This was seen used by threat actors to maintain persistence and remote access to compromised networks.
Change Default File Association Via Assoc
Detects file association changes using the builtin "assoc" command. When a file is opened, the default program used to open the file (also called the file association or handler) is checked. File association selections are stored in the Windows Registry and can be edited by users, administrators, or programs that have Registry access or by administrators using the built-in assoc utility. Applications can modify the file association for a given file extension to call an arbitrary program when a file with the given extension is opened.
Change Default File Association To Executable Via Assoc
Detects when a program changes the default file association of any extension to an executable. When a file is opened, the default program used to open the file (also called the file association or handler) is checked. File association selections are stored in the Windows Registry and can be edited by users, administrators, or programs that have Registry access or by administrators using the built-in assoc utility. Applications can modify the file association for a given file extension to call an arbitrary program when a file with the given extension is opened.
Potential Privilege Escalation Using Symlink Between Osk and Cmd
Detects the creation of a symbolic link between "cmd.exe" and the accessibility on-screen keyboard binary (osk.exe) using "mklink". This technique provides an elevated command prompt to the user from the login screen without the need to log in.
Sticky Key Like Backdoor Execution
Detects the usage and installation of a backdoor that uses an option to register a malicious debugger for built-in tools that are accessible in the login screen
Persistence Via Sticky Key Backdoor
By replacing the sticky keys executable with the local admins CMD executable, an attacker is able to access a privileged windows console session without authenticating to the system. When the sticky keys are "activated" the privilleged shell is launched.
Control Panel Items
Detects the malicious use of a control panel item
New DMSA Service Account Created in Specific OUs
Detects the creation of a dMSASvc account using the New-ADServiceAccount cmdlet in certain OUs. The fact that the Cmdlet is used to create a dMSASvc account in a specific OU is highly suspicious. It is a pattern trying to exploit the BadSuccessor privilege escalation vulnerability in Windows Server 2025. On top of that, if the user that is creating the dMSASvc account is not a legitimate administrator or does not have the necessary permissions, it is a strong signal of an attempted or successful abuse of the BaDSuccessor vulnerability for privilege escalation within the Windows Server 2025 Active Directory environment.
Devcon Execution Disabling VMware VMCI Device
Detects execution of devcon.exe with commands that disable the VMware Virtual Machine Communication Interface (VMCI) device. This can be legitimate during VMware Tools troubleshooting or driver conflicts, but may also indicate malware attempting to hijack communication with the hardware via the VMCI device. This has been used to facilitate VMware ESXi vulnerability exploits to escape VMs and execute code on the ESXi host.
Potential DLL Sideloading Via DeviceEnroller.EXE
Detects the use of the PhoneDeepLink parameter to potentially sideload a DLL file that does not exist. This non-existent DLL file is named "ShellChromeAPI.dll". Adversaries can drop their own renamed DLL and execute it via DeviceEnroller.exe using this parameter
Potentially Suspicious Child Process Of DiskShadow.EXE
Detects potentially suspicious child processes of "Diskshadow.exe". This could be an attempt to bypass parent/child relationship detection or application whitelisting rules.
Diskshadow Script Mode - Uncommon Script Extension Execution
Detects execution of "Diskshadow.exe" in script mode to execute an script with a potentially uncommon extension. Initial baselining of the allowed extension list is required.
Diskshadow Script Mode - Execution From Potential Suspicious Location
Detects execution of "Diskshadow.exe" in script mode using the "/s" flag where the script is located in a potentially suspicious location.
PowerShell Web Access Feature Enabled Via DISM
Detects the use of DISM to enable the PowerShell Web Access feature, which could be used for remote access and potential abuse
DLL Sideloading by VMware Xfer Utility
Detects execution of VMware Xfer utility (VMwareXferlogs.exe) from the non-default directory which may be an attempt to sideload arbitrary DLL
Unusual Child Process of dns.exe
Detects an unexpected process spawning from dns.exe which may indicate activity related to remote code execution or other forms of exploitation as seen in CVE-2020-1350 (SigRed)
New DNS ServerLevelPluginDll Installed Via Dnscmd.EXE
Detects the installation of a DNS plugin DLL via ServerLevelPluginDll parameter in registry, which can be used to execute code in context of the DNS server (restart required)
Security Event Logging Disabled via MiniNt Registry Key - Process
Detects attempts to disable security event logging by adding the `MiniNt` registry key. This key is used to disable the Windows Event Log service, which collects and stores event logs from the operating system and applications. Adversaries may want to disable this service to prevent logging of security events that could be used to detect their activities.
Github Self-Hosted Runner Execution
Detects GitHub self-hosted runners executing workflows on local infrastructure that could be abused for persistence and code execution. Shai-Hulud is an npm supply chain worm targeting CI/CD environments. It installs runners on compromised systems to maintain access after credential theft, leveraging their access to secrets and internal networks.
Suspicious GUP Usage
Detects execution of the Notepad++ updater in a suspicious directory, which is often used in DLL side-loading attacks
HackTool - CrackMapExec Execution
This rule detect common flag combinations used by CrackMapExec in order to detect its use even if the binary has been replaced.
HackTool - CrackMapExec Execution Patterns
Detects various execution patterns of the CrackMapExec pentesting framework
HackTool - Empire PowerShell Launch Parameters
Detects suspicious powershell command line parameters used in Empire
HackTool - Default PowerSploit/Empire Scheduled Task Creation
Detects the creation of a schtask via PowerSploit or Empire Default Configuration.
HackTool - SharPersist Execution
Detects the execution of the hacktool SharPersist - used to deploy various different kinds of persistence mechanisms
HackTool - SharpUp PrivEsc Tool Execution
Detects the use of SharpUp, a tool for local privilege escalation
Hypervisor-protected Code Integrity (HVCI) Related Registry Tampering Via CommandLine
Detects the tampering of Hypervisor-protected Code Integrity (HVCI) related registry values via command line tool reg.exe. HVCI uses virtualization-based security to protect code integrity by ensuring that only trusted code can run in kernel mode. Adversaries may tamper with HVCI to load malicious or unsigned drivers, which can be used to escalate privileges, maintain persistence, or evade security mechanisms.
IIS Native-Code Module Command Line Installation
Detects suspicious IIS native-code module installations via command line
Suspicious IIS Module Registration
Detects a suspicious IIS module registration as described in Microsoft threat report on IIS backdoors