IMPORTANT: No additional bug fixes or documentation updates
will be released for this version. For the latest information, see the
current release documentation.
Scheduled Task Created by a Windows Scriptedit
A scheduled task was created by a Windows script via cscript.exe, wscript.exe or powershell.exe. This can be abused by an adversary to establish persistence.
Rule type: eql
Rule indices:
- winlogbeat-*
- logs-endpoint.events.*
Severity: medium
Risk score: 43
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
- Persistence
Version: 1
Added (Elastic Stack release): 7.11.0
Rule authors: Elastic
Rule license: Elastic License
Potential false positivesedit
Legitimate scheduled tasks may be created during installation of new software.
Investigation guideedit
Decode the base64 encoded Tasks Actions registry value to investigate the task’s configured action.
Rule queryedit
sequence by host.id with maxspan = 30s [library where file.name :
"taskschd.dll" and process.name : ("cscript.exe", "wscript.exe",
"powershell.exe")] [registry where registry.path :
"HKLM\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows
NT\\CurrentVersion\\Schedule\\TaskCache\\Tasks\\*\\Actions"]
Threat mappingedit
Framework: MITRE ATT&CKTM
-
Tactic:
- Name: Persistence
- ID: TA0003
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0003/
-
Technique:
- Name: Scheduled Task/Job
- ID: T1053
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1053/