Sigma rule: Remote File Download Via Desktopimgdownldr Utility

A detection rule from the SigmaHQ repository, shown as its author published it. Dataset version ref-df25d205a3e7, updated 2022-09-27T00:00:00.000Z.

Rule

Title
Remote File Download Via Desktopimgdownldr Utility
Status
test
Level
medium
Author
Tim Rauch, Elastic (idea)
Date
2022-09-27
File
rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_desktopimgdownldr_remote_file_download.yml
Commit
ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects the desktopimgdownldr utility being used to download a remote file. An adversary may use desktopimgdownldr to download arbitrary files as an alternative to certutil.

Log source

product
windows
category
process_creation

Detection

selection:
    Image|endswith: '\desktopimgdownldr.exe'
    ParentImage|endswith: '\desktopimgdownldr.exe'
    CommandLine|contains: '/lockscreenurl:http'
condition: selection

False positives (as the rule lists them)

  • Unknown

Tags

  • attack.command-and-control
  • attack.t1105

MITRE ATT&CK ids this rule names

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_desktopimgdownldr_remote_file_download.yml

Sources and licences

  • SigmaHQ

    "Remote File Download Via Desktopimgdownldr Utility" by Tim Rauch, Elastic (idea) (SigmaHQ). Rule: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_desktopimgdownldr_remote_file_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: Remote File Download Via Desktopimgdownldr Utility",
entity page, dataset version ref-df25d205a3e7, updated 2022-09-27T00:00:00.000Z,
https://ransomware-tracker.com/detections/sigma/214641c2-c579-4ecb-8427-0cf19df6842e (accessed 2026-11-03).
Underlying source: SigmaHQ rule 214641c2-c579-4ecb-8427-0cf19df6842e, 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.