Sigma rule: Startup Folder File Write

A detection rule from the SigmaHQ repository, shown as its author published it. Dataset version ref-d71c95bf1d4b, updated 2025-12-03T00:00:00.000Z.

Rule

Title
Startup Folder File Write
Status
test
Level
medium
Author
Roberto Rodriguez (Cyb3rWard0g), OTR (Open Threat Research)
Date
2020-05-02
Modified
2025-12-03
File
rules/windows/file/file_event/file_event_win_startup_folder_file_write.yml
Commit
ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

A General detection for files being created in the Windows startup directory. This could be an indicator of persistence.

Log source

product
windows
category
file_event

Detection

selection:
    TargetFilename|contains: '\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\StartUp'
filter_main_update:
    - Image:
          - 'C:\Windows\System32\wuauclt.exe'
          - 'C:\Windows\uus\ARM64\wuaucltcore.exe'
    - TargetFilename|startswith:
          - 'C:\$WINDOWS.~BT\NewOS\'
          - 'C:\$WinREAgent\Scratch\Mount\'
filter_optional_onenote:
    Image|endswith: '\ONENOTE.EXE'
    TargetFilename|endswith: '\Send to OneNote.lnk'
condition: selection and not 1 of filter_main_* and not 1 of filter_optional_*

False positives (as the rule lists them)

  • FP could be caused by legitimate application writing shortcuts for example. This folder should always be inspected to make sure that all the files in there are legitimate

Tags

  • attack.privilege-escalation
  • attack.persistence
  • attack.t1547.001

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/file/file_event/file_event_win_startup_folder_file_write.yml

Sources and licences

  • SigmaHQ

    "Startup Folder File Write" by Roberto Rodriguez (Cyb3rWard0g), OTR (Open Threat Research) (SigmaHQ). Rule: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules/windows/file/file_event/file_event_win_startup_folder_file_write.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: Startup Folder File Write",
entity page, dataset version ref-d71c95bf1d4b, updated 2025-12-03T00:00:00.000Z,
https://ransomware-tracker.com/detections/sigma/2aa0a6b4-a865-495b-ab51-c28249537b75 (accessed 2026-11-03).
Underlying source: SigmaHQ rule 2aa0a6b4-a865-495b-ab51-c28249537b75, 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.