Sigma rule: Suspicious File Downloaded From File-Sharing Website Via Certutil.EXE

Rule

Title

Suspicious File Downloaded From File-Sharing Website Via Certutil.EXE

Status

test

Level

high

Author

Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems)

Date

2023-02-15

Modified

2026-03-29

File

rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_certutil_download_file_sharing_domains.yml

Commit

ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects the execution of certutil with certain flags that allow the utility to download files from file-sharing websites.

Log source

product

windows

category

process_creation

Detection

selection_img:
    - Image|endswith: '\certutil.exe'
    - OriginalFileName: 'CertUtil.exe'
selection_flags:
    CommandLine|contains:
        - 'urlcache '
        - 'verifyctl '
        - 'URL '
selection_http:
    CommandLine|contains:
        - '.githubusercontent.com'       # Includes both gists and github repositories / Michael Haag (idea)
        - '0x0.st'
        - 'anonfiles.com'
        - 'bashupload.com'
        - 'cdn.discordapp.com'
        - 'chunk.io'
        - 'ddns.net'
        - 'dl.dropboxusercontent.com'
        - 'ghostbin.co'
        - 'github.com'
        - 'glitch.me'
        - 'gofile.io'
        - 'hastebin.com'
        - 'mediafire.com'
        - 'mega.nz'
        - 'onrender.com'
        - 'pages.dev'
        - 'paste.ee'
        - 'pastebin.com'
        - 'pastebin.pl'
        - 'pastetext.net'
        - 'privatlab.com'
        - 'privatlab.net'
        - 'send.exploit.in'
        - 'sendspace.com'
        - 'storage.googleapis.com'
        - 'storjshare.io'
        - 'supabase.co'
        - 'temp.sh'
        - 'transfer.sh'
        - 'trycloudflare.com'
        - 'ufile.io'
        - 'w3spaces.com'
        - 'workers.dev'
        - 'x0.at'
condition: all of selection_*

False positives (as the rule lists them)

• Unknown

Tags

• attack.stealth
• attack.t1027
• attack.command-and-control
• attack.t1105

MITRE ATT&CK ids this rule names

• T1027
• T1105

Related rules

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References

• https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/certutil
• https://forensicitguy.github.io/agenttesla-vba-certutil-download/
• https://news.sophos.com/en-us/2021/04/13/compromised-exchange-server-hosting-cryptojacker-targeting-other-exchange-servers/
• https://twitter.com/egre55/status/1087685529016193025
• https://lolbas-project.github.io/lolbas/Binaries/Certutil/
• https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2024/01/17/new-ttps-observed-in-mint-sandstorm-campaign-targeting-high-profile-individuals-at-universities-and-research-orgs/
• https://www.hexacorn.com/blog/2020/08/23/certutil-one-more-gui-lolbin

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_certutil_download_file_sharing_domains.yml