Sigma rule: New File Association Using Exefile

A detection rule from the SigmaHQ repository, shown as its author published it. Dataset version ref-8cad9f03eeee, updated 2023-08-17T00:00:00.000Z.

Rule

Title
New File Association Using Exefile
Status
test
Level
high
Author
Andreas Hunkeler (@Karneades)
Date
2021-11-19
Modified
2023-08-17
File
rules/windows/registry/registry_set/registry_set_file_association_exefile.yml
Commit
ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects the abuse of the exefile handler in new file association. Used for bypass of security products.

Log source

product
windows
category
registry_set

Detection

selection:
    TargetObject|contains: 'Classes\.'
    Details: 'exefile'
condition: selection

False positives (as the rule lists them)

  • Unknown

Tags

  • attack.stealth

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/registry/registry_set/registry_set_file_association_exefile.yml

Sources and licences

  • SigmaHQ

    "New File Association Using Exefile" by Andreas Hunkeler (@Karneades) (SigmaHQ). Rule: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules/windows/registry/registry_set/registry_set_file_association_exefile.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: New File Association Using Exefile",
entity page, dataset version ref-8cad9f03eeee, updated 2023-08-17T00:00:00.000Z,
https://ransomware-tracker.com/detections/sigma/44a22d59-b175-4f13-8c16-cbaef5b581ff (accessed 2026-11-03).
Underlying source: SigmaHQ rule 44a22d59-b175-4f13-8c16-cbaef5b581ff, 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.