Sigma rule: File Deletion

A detection rule from the SigmaHQ repository, shown as its author published it. Dataset version ref-a9b7f9bfe1ed, updated 2022-09-15T00:00:00.000Z.

Rule

Title
File Deletion
Status
stable
Level
informational
Author
Ömer Günal, oscd.community
Date
2020-10-07
Modified
2022-09-15
File
rules/linux/process_creation/proc_creation_lnx_file_deletion.yml
Commit
ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects file deletion using "rm", "shred" or "unlink" commands which are used often by adversaries to delete files left behind by the actions of their intrusion activity

Log source

product
linux
category
process_creation

Detection

selection:
    Image|endswith:
        - '/rm'     # covers /rmdir as well
        - '/shred'
        - '/unlink'
condition: selection

False positives (as the rule lists them)

  • Legitimate administration activities

Tags

  • attack.stealth
  • attack.t1070.004

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/linux/process_creation/proc_creation_lnx_file_deletion.yml

Sources and licences

  • SigmaHQ

    "File Deletion" by Ömer Günal, oscd.community (SigmaHQ). Rule: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules/linux/process_creation/proc_creation_lnx_file_deletion.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: File Deletion",
entity page, dataset version ref-a9b7f9bfe1ed, updated 2022-09-15T00:00:00.000Z,
https://ransomware-tracker.com/detections/sigma/30aed7b6-d2c1-4eaf-9382-b6bc43e50c57 (accessed 2026-11-03).
Underlying source: SigmaHQ rule 30aed7b6-d2c1-4eaf-9382-b6bc43e50c57, 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.