Sigma rule: Dfsvc.EXE Network Connection To Non-Local IPs

A detection rule from the SigmaHQ repository, shown as its author published it. Dataset version ref-3ffa6241c45d, updated 2024-03-12T00:00:00.000Z.

Rule

Title
Dfsvc.EXE Network Connection To Non-Local IPs
Status
test
Level
medium
Author
Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems)
Date
2023-06-12
Modified
2024-03-12
File
rules-threat-hunting/windows/network_connection/net_connection_win_dfsvc_non_local_ip.yml
Commit
ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects network connections from "dfsvc.exe" used to handled ClickOnce applications to non-local IPs

Log source

product
windows
category
network_connection

Detection

selection:
    Image|endswith: '\dfsvc.exe'
    Initiated: 'true'
filter_main_local_ip:
    DestinationIp|cidr: # Ranges excluded based on https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/0f176092326ab9d1e19384d30224e5f29f760d82/rules/windows/network_connection/net_connection_win_dllhost_net_connections.yml
        - '127.0.0.0/8'
        - '10.0.0.0/8'
        - '169.254.0.0/16'  # link-local address
        - '172.16.0.0/12'
        - '192.168.0.0/16'
        - '::1/128'  # IPv6 loopback
        - 'fe80::/10'  # IPv6 link-local addresses
        - 'fc00::/7'  # IPv6 private addresses
condition: selection and not 1 of filter_main_*

False positives (as the rule lists them)

  • False positives are expected from ClickOnce manifests hosted on public IPs and domains. Apply additional filters for the accepted IPs in your environement as necessary

Tags

  • attack.execution
  • attack.t1203
  • detection.threat-hunting

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-threat-hunting/windows/network_connection/net_connection_win_dfsvc_non_local_ip.yml

Sources and licences

  • SigmaHQ

    "Dfsvc.EXE Network Connection To Non-Local IPs" by Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ). Rule: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules-threat-hunting/windows/network_connection/net_connection_win_dfsvc_non_local_ip.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: Dfsvc.EXE Network Connection To Non-Local IPs",
entity page, dataset version ref-3ffa6241c45d, updated 2024-03-12T00:00:00.000Z,
https://ransomware-tracker.com/detections/sigma/3c21219b-49b5-4268-bce6-c914ed50f09c (accessed 2026-11-03).
Underlying source: SigmaHQ rule 3c21219b-49b5-4268-bce6-c914ed50f09c, 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.