Suspicious writes to windows Recycle Bin

name: Suspicious writes to windows Recycle Bin
id: b5541828-8ffd-4070-9d95-b3da4de924cb
version: 11
date: '2026-04-09'
author: Rico Valdez, Splunk
status: production
type: TTP
description: The following analytic detects when a process other than explorer.exe writes to the Windows Recycle Bin. It leverages the Endpoint.Filesystem and Endpoint.Processes data models in Splunk to identify any process writing to the "*$Recycle.Bin*" file path, excluding explorer.exe. This activity is significant because it may indicate an attacker attempting to hide their actions, potentially leading to data theft, ransomware, or other malicious outcomes. If confirmed malicious, this behavior could allow an attacker to persist in the environment and evade detection by security tools.
data_source:
    - Sysmon EventID 1 AND Sysmon EventID 11
search: |-
    | tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime values(Filesystem.file_path) as file_path values(Filesystem.file_name) as file_name FROM datamodel=Endpoint.Filesystem
      WHERE Filesystem.file_path = "*$Recycle.Bin*"
      BY Filesystem.process_name Filesystem.process_id Filesystem.dest
    | `drop_dm_object_name("Filesystem")`
    | join process_id dest [
    | tstats `security_content_summariesonly` values(Processes.user) as user values(Processes.process_name) as process_name values(Processes.parent_process_name) as parent_process_name FROM datamodel=Endpoint.Processes
      WHERE Processes.process_name != "explorer.exe"
      BY Processes.action Processes.dest Processes.original_file_name
         Processes.parent_process Processes.parent_process_exec Processes.parent_process_guid
         Processes.parent_process_id Processes.parent_process_name Processes.parent_process_path
         Processes.process Processes.process_exec Processes.process_guid
         Processes.process_hash Processes.process_id Processes.process_integrity_level
         Processes.process_name Processes.process_path Processes.user
         Processes.user_id Processes.vendor_product
    | `drop_dm_object_name("Processes")`
    | table user process_name process_id dest]
    | `suspicious_writes_to_windows_recycle_bin_filter`
how_to_implement: To successfully implement this search you need to be ingesting information on filesystem and process logs responsible for the changes from your endpoints into the `Endpoint` datamodel in the `Processes` and `Filesystem` nodes.
known_false_positives: Because the Recycle Bin is a hidden folder in modern versions of Windows, it would be unusual for a process other than explorer.exe to write to it. Incidents should be investigated as appropriate.
references: []
drilldown_searches:
    - name: View the detection results for - "$dest$"
      search: '%original_detection_search% | search  dest = "$dest$"'
      earliest_offset: $info_min_time$
      latest_offset: $info_max_time$
    - name: View risk events for the last 7 days for - "$dest$"
      search: '| from datamodel Risk.All_Risk | search normalized_risk_object IN ("$dest$") | stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime values(search_name) as "Search Name" values(risk_message) as "Risk Message" values(analyticstories) as "Analytic Stories" values(annotations._all) as "Annotations" values(annotations.mitre_attack.mitre_tactic) as "ATT&CK Tactics" by normalized_risk_object | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`'
      earliest_offset: 7d
      latest_offset: "0"
rba:
    message: Suspicious writes to windows Recycle Bin process $process_name$ on $dest$
    risk_objects:
        - field: dest
          type: system
          score: 50
    threat_objects:
        - field: process_name
          type: process_name
tags:
    analytic_story:
        - Collection and Staging
        - PlugX
    asset_type: Windows
    mitre_attack_id:
        - T1036
    product:
        - Splunk Enterprise
        - Splunk Enterprise Security
        - Splunk Cloud
    security_domain: endpoint
tests:
    - name: True Positive Test
      attack_data:
        - data: https://media.githubusercontent.com/media/splunk/attack_data/master/datasets/attack_techniques/T1036/write_to_recycle_bin/windows-sysmon.log
          source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational
          sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog