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Elastic Docs ›Elastic Security Solution [8.1] ›Detections and alerts ›Prebuilt rule reference
« Windows Event Logs Cleared Windows Network Enumeration »

Windows Firewall Disabled via PowerShelledit

Identifies when the Windows Firewall is disabled using PowerShell cmdlets, which attackers do to evade network constraints, like internet and network lateral communication restrictions.

Rule type: eql

Rule indices:

  • logs-endpoint.events.*
  • winlogbeat-*
  • logs-windows.*

Severity: medium

Risk score: 47

Runs every: 5 minutes

Searches indices from: now-9m (Date Math format, see also Additional look-back time)

Maximum alerts per execution: 100

References:

Tags:

  • Elastic
  • Host
  • Windows
  • Threat Detection
  • Defense Evasion

Version: 3 (version history)

Added (Elastic Stack release): 8.0.0

Last modified (Elastic Stack release): 8.1.0

Rule authors: Austin Songer

Rule license: Elastic License v2

Potential false positivesedit

Windows Firewall can be disabled by a system administrator. Verify whether the user identity, user agent, and/or hostname should be making changes in your environment. Windows Profile being disabled by unfamiliar users should be investigated. If known behavior is causing false positives, it can be exempted from the rule.

Rule queryedit

process where event.action == "start" and (process.name :
("powershell.exe", "pwsh.exe", "powershell_ise.exe") or
process.pe.original_file_name == "PowerShell.EXE") and process.args
: "*Set-NetFirewallProfile*" and (process.args : "*-Enabled*" and
process.args : "*False*") and (process.args : "*-All*" or
process.args : ("*Public*", "*Domain*", "*Private*"))

Threat mappingedit

Framework: MITRE ATT&CKTM

Rule version historyedit

Version 3 (8.1.0 release)
  • Formatting only
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