IMPORTANT: No additional bug fixes or documentation updates
will be released for this version. For the latest information, see the
current release documentation.
Clearing Windows Event Logsedit
Identifies attempts to clear Windows event log stores. This is often done by attackers in an attempt to evade detection or destroy forensic evidence on a system.
Rule type: query
Rule indices:
- winlogbeat-*
- logs-endpoint.events.*
Severity: low
Risk score: 21
Runs every: 5 minutes
Searches indices from: now-9m (Date Math format, see also Additional look-back time)
Maximum alerts per execution: 100
Tags:
- Elastic
- Host
- Windows
- Threat Detection
- Defense Evasion
Version: 7 (version history)
Added (Elastic Stack release): 7.6.0
Last modified (Elastic Stack release): 7.11.2
Rule authors: Elastic
Rule license: Elastic License
Rule queryedit
event.category:process and event.type:(process_started or start) and
(process.name:"wevtutil.exe" or
process.pe.original_file_name:"wevtutil.exe") and
process.args:("/e:false" or cl or "clear-log") or
process.name:"powershell.exe" and process.args:"Clear-EventLog"
Threat mappingedit
Framework: MITRE ATT&CKTM
-
Tactic:
- Name: Defense Evasion
- ID: TA0005
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0005/
-
Technique:
- Name: Indicator Removal on Host
- ID: T1070
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1070/
Rule version historyedit
- Version 7 (7.11.2 release)
-
- Formatting only
- Version 6 (7.11.0 release)
-
-
Updated query, changed from:
event.category:process and event.type:(start or process_started) and process.name:wevtutil.exe and process.args:cl or process.name:powershell.exe and process.args:Clear-EventLog
-
- Version 5 (7.10.0 release)
-
- Formatting only
- Version 4 (7.9.1 release)
-
- Formatting only
- Version 3 (7.9.0 release)
-
-
Updated query, changed from:
event.action:"Process Create (rule: ProcessCreate)" and process.name:wevtutil.exe and process.args:cl or process.name:powershell.exe and process.args:Clear-EventLog
-
- Version 2 (7.7.0 release)
-
-
Updated query, changed from:
event.action:"Process Create (rule: ProcessCreate)" and (process.name:"wevtutil.exe" and process.args:"cl") or (process.name:"powershell.exe" and process.args:"Clear-EventLog")
-