Sigma rule: Disable of ETW Trace - Powershell

A detection rule from the SigmaHQ repository, shown as its author published it. Dataset version ref-24ce0194871a, updated 2026-10-12T00:00:00.000Z.

Rule

Title
Disable of ETW Trace - Powershell
Status
test
Level
high
Author
Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems)
Date
2022-06-28
Modified
2026-10-12
File
rules/windows/powershell/powershell_script/posh_ps_etw_trace_evasion.yml
Commit
ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects usage of powershell cmdlets to disable or remove ETW trace sessions

Log source

product
windows
category
ps_script
definition
Requirements: Script Block Logging must be enabled

Detection

selection_pwsh_remove:   # Autologger provider removal
    ScriptBlockText|contains: 'Remove-EtwTraceProvider '
selection_pwsh_set_hex:   # Provider “Enable” property modification (hex form)
    ScriptBlockText|contains|all:
        - 'Set-EtwTraceProvider '
        - '0x11'
selection_pwsh_set_dec:   # Provider “Enable” property modification (decimal form, equivalent to 0x11)
    - ScriptBlockText|contains|all:
          - 'Set-EtwTraceProvider '
          - ' 17'
    - ScriptBlockText|contains|all:
          - 'Set-EtwTraceProvider '
          - “'17'”
    - ScriptBlockText|contains|all:
          - 'Set-EtwTraceProvider '
          - '”17”'
condition: 1 of selection_*

False positives (as the rule lists them)

  • Unknown

Tags

  • attack.stealth
  • attack.defense-impairment
  • attack.t1070
  • attack.t1685
  • car.2016-04-002

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/powershell/powershell_script/posh_ps_etw_trace_evasion.yml

Sources and licences

  • SigmaHQ

    "Disable of ETW Trace - Powershell" by Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ). Rule: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules/windows/powershell/powershell_script/posh_ps_etw_trace_evasion.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: Disable of ETW Trace - Powershell",
entity page, dataset version ref-24ce0194871a, updated 2026-10-12T00:00:00.000Z,
https://ransomware-tracker.com/detections/sigma/115fdba9-f017-42e6-84cf-d5573bf2ddf8 (accessed 2026-11-03).
Underlying source: SigmaHQ rule 115fdba9-f017-42e6-84cf-d5573bf2ddf8, 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.