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sigmahighHunting

Suspicious Schtasks Schedule Types

Detects scheduled task creations or modification on a suspicious schedule type

MITRE ATT&CK

privilege-escalationpersistenceexecution

Detection Query

selection_img:
  - Image|endswith: \schtasks.exe
  - OriginalFileName: schtasks.exe
selection_time:
  CommandLine|contains:
    - " ONLOGON "
    - " ONSTART "
    - " ONCE "
    - " ONIDLE "
filter_privs:
  CommandLine|contains:
    - NT AUT
    - " SYSTEM"
    - HIGHEST
condition: all of selection_* and not 1 of filter_*

Author

Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems)

Created

2022-09-09

Data Sources

windowsProcess Creation Events

Platforms

windows

Tags

attack.privilege-escalationattack.persistenceattack.executionattack.t1053.005
Raw Content
title: Suspicious Schtasks Schedule Types
id: 24c8392b-aa3c-46b7-a545-43f71657fe98
related:
    - id: 7a02e22e-b885-4404-b38b-1ddc7e65258a
      type: similar
status: test
description: Detects scheduled task creations or modification on a suspicious schedule type
references:
    - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/schtasks-change
    - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/schtasks-create
    - http://blog.talosintelligence.com/2022/09/lazarus-three-rats.html
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems)
date: 2022-09-09
tags:
    - attack.privilege-escalation
    - attack.persistence
    - attack.execution
    - attack.t1053.005
logsource:
    product: windows
    category: process_creation
detection:
    selection_img:
        - Image|endswith: '\schtasks.exe'
        - OriginalFileName: 'schtasks.exe'
    selection_time:
        CommandLine|contains:
            - ' ONLOGON '
            - ' ONSTART '
            - ' ONCE '
            - ' ONIDLE '
    filter_privs:
        CommandLine|contains:
            - 'NT AUT' # This covers the usual NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM
            - ' SYSTEM' # SYSTEM is a valid value for schtasks hence it gets it's own value with space
            - 'HIGHEST'
    condition: all of selection_* and not 1 of filter_*
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate processes that run at logon. Filter according to your environment
level: high