Sigma rule: Python Function Execution Security Warning Disabled In Excel

A detection rule from the SigmaHQ repository, shown as its author published it. Dataset version ref-7f5e23b5bd5c, updated 2023-08-22T00:00:00.000Z.

Rule

Title
Python Function Execution Security Warning Disabled In Excel
Status
test
Level
high
Author
@Kostastsale
Date
2023-08-22
File
rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_registry_office_disable_python_security_warnings.yml
Commit
ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects changes to the registry value "PythonFunctionWarnings" that would prevent any warnings or alerts from showing when Python functions are about to be executed.
Threat actors could run malicious code through the new Microsoft Excel feature that allows Python to run within the spreadsheet.

Log source

product
windows
category
process_creation

Detection

selection:
    CommandLine|contains|all:
        - '\Microsoft\Office\'
        - '\Excel\Security'
        - 'PythonFunctionWarnings'
    CommandLine|contains: ' 0'
condition: selection

False positives (as the rule lists them)

  • Unknown

Tags

  • attack.defense-impairment
  • attack.t1685

MITRE ATT&CK ids this rule names

Related rules

References

Read on 2026-11-03T00:58:21.399Z under licence sigma-drl-1.1@d5f4c36a from https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_registry_office_disable_python_security_warnings.yml

Sources and licences

  • SigmaHQ

    "Python Function Execution Security Warning Disabled In Excel" by @Kostastsale (SigmaHQ). Rule: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_registry_office_disable_python_security_warnings.yml.
    Licensed under the Detection Rule License (DRL) 1.1: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/Detection-Rule-License

    Detection Rule License (DRL) 1.1

Cite this page

Dragons Eye Ransomware Tracker, "Sigma rule: Python Function Execution Security Warning Disabled In Excel",
entity page, dataset version ref-7f5e23b5bd5c, updated 2023-08-22T00:00:00.000Z,
https://ransomware-tracker.com/detections/sigma/023c654f-8f16-44d9-bb2b-00ff36a62af9 (accessed 2026-11-03).
Underlying source: SigmaHQ rule 023c654f-8f16-44d9-bb2b-00ff36a62af9, commit ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84.

Pages change. The dataset version identifies the data, but no archive of old versions is kept, so this citation cannot be replayed later.