Sigma rule: Potential File Download Via MS-AppInstaller Protocol Handler

A detection rule from the SigmaHQ repository, shown as its author published it. Dataset version ref-a2d1231d96f3, updated 2023-11-09T00:00:00.000Z.

Rule

Title
Potential File Download Via MS-AppInstaller Protocol Handler
Status
test
Level
medium
Author
Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), Swachchhanda Shrawan Poudel
Date
2023-11-09
File
rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_susp_ms_appinstaller_download.yml
Commit
ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects usage of the "ms-appinstaller" protocol handler via command line to potentially download arbitrary files via AppInstaller.EXE
The downloaded files are temporarly stored in ":\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_8wekyb3d8bbwe\AC\INetCache\<RANDOM-8-CHAR-DIRECTORY>"

Log source

product
windows
category
process_creation

Detection

selection:
    CommandLine|contains|all:
        - 'ms-appinstaller://?source='
        - 'http'
condition: selection

False positives (as the rule lists them)

  • Unknown

Tags

  • attack.execution
  • attack.stealth
  • attack.t1218

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_susp_ms_appinstaller_download.yml

Sources and licences

  • SigmaHQ

    "Potential File Download Via MS-AppInstaller Protocol Handler" by Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), Swachchhanda Shrawan Poudel (SigmaHQ). Rule: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_susp_ms_appinstaller_download.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: Potential File Download Via MS-AppInstaller Protocol Handler",
entity page, dataset version ref-a2d1231d96f3, updated 2023-11-09T00:00:00.000Z,
https://ransomware-tracker.com/detections/sigma/180c7c5c-d64b-4a63-86e9-68910451bc8b (accessed 2026-11-03).
Underlying source: SigmaHQ rule 180c7c5c-d64b-4a63-86e9-68910451bc8b, 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.