Sigma rule: Potential PendingFileRenameOperations Tampering

Rule

Title

Potential PendingFileRenameOperations Tampering

Status

test

Level

medium

Author

frack113

Date

2023-01-27

Modified

2025-10-07

File

rules/windows/registry/registry_set/registry_set_susp_pendingfilerenameoperations.yml

Commit

ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detect changes to the "PendingFileRenameOperations" registry key from uncommon or suspicious images locations to stage currently used files for rename or deletion after reboot.

Log source

product

windows

category

registry_set

Detection

selection_main:
    TargetObject|contains: '\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\PendingFileRenameOperations'
selection_susp_paths:
    Image|contains: '\Users\Public\'
        # - '\AppData\Local\Temp\'  # Commented out as it's used by legitimate installers
selection_susp_images:
    Image|endswith:
        - '\reg.exe'
        - '\regedit.exe'
condition: selection_main and 1 of selection_susp_*

False positives (as the rule lists them)

• Installers and updaters may set currently in use files for rename or deletion after a reboot.

Tags

• attack.stealth
• attack.t1036.003

MITRE ATT&CK ids this rule names

• T1036.003

References

• https://any.run/report/3ecd4763ffc944fdc67a9027e459cd4f448b1a8d1b36147977afaf86bbf2a261/64b0ba45-e7ce-423b-9a1d-5b4ea59521e6
• https://devblogs.microsoft.com/scripting/determine-pending-reboot-statuspowershell-style-part-1/
• https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/it-pro/windows-2000-server/cc960241(v=technet.10)?redirectedfrom=MSDN
• https://www.trendmicro.com/en_us/research/21/j/purplefox-adds-new-backdoor-that-uses-websockets.html
• https://www.trendmicro.com/en_us/research/19/i/purple-fox-fileless-malware-with-rookit-component-delivered-by-rig-exploit-kit-now-abuses-powershell.html

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_susp_pendingfilerenameoperations.yml