Sigma rule: Potential Maze Ransomware Activity

Rule

Title

Potential Maze Ransomware Activity

Status

test

Level

critical

Author

Florian Roth (Nextron Systems)

Date

2020-05-08

Modified

2023-02-13

File

rules-emerging-threats/2020/Malware/Maze/proc_creation_win_malware_maze_ransomware.yml

Commit

ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects specific process characteristics of Maze ransomware word document droppers

Log source

product

windows

category

process_creation

Detection

# Dropper
selection1:
    ParentImage|endswith: '\WINWORD.exe'
    Image|endswith: '.tmp'
# Binary Execution
selection2:
    Image|endswith: '\wmic.exe'
    ParentImage|contains: '\Temp\'
    CommandLine|endswith: 'shadowcopy delete'
# Specific Pattern
selection3:
    CommandLine|endswith: 'shadowcopy delete'
    CommandLine|contains: '\..\..\system32'
condition: 1 of selection*

False positives (as the rule lists them)

• Unlikely

Tags

• attack.execution
• attack.t1204.002
• attack.t1047
• attack.impact
• attack.t1490
• detection.emerging-threats

MITRE ATT&CK ids this rule names

• T1047
• T1204.002
• T1490

References

• https://www.fireeye.com/blog/threat-research/2020/05/tactics-techniques-procedures-associated-with-maze-ransomware-incidents.html
• https://app.any.run/tasks/51e7185c-52d7-4efb-ac0d-e86340053473/
• https://app.any.run/tasks/65a79440-373a-4725-8d74-77db9f2abda4/

Read on 2026-11-03T00:58:21.399Z under licence sigma-drl-1.1@d5f4c36a from https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules-emerging-threats/2020/Malware/Maze/proc_creation_win_malware_maze_ransomware.yml