Sigma rule: Cab File Extraction Via Wusa.EXE

A detection rule from the SigmaHQ repository, shown as its author published it. Dataset version ref-7f83c8ce1851, updated 2024-08-15T00:00:00.000Z.

Rule

Title
Cab File Extraction Via Wusa.EXE
Status
test
Level
medium
Author
Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems)
Date
2022-08-04
Modified
2024-08-15
File
rules-threat-hunting/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_wusa_cab_files_extraction.yml
Commit
ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects execution of the "wusa.exe" (Windows Update Standalone Installer) utility to extract cab using the "/extract" argument that is no longer supported.

Log source

product
windows
category
process_creation

Detection

selection:
    Image|endswith: '\wusa.exe'
    CommandLine|contains: '/extract:'
condition: selection

False positives (as the rule lists them)

  • The "extract" flag still works on older 'wusa.exe' versions, which could be a legitimate use (monitor the path of the cab being extracted)

Tags

  • attack.execution
  • detection.threat-hunting

Related rules

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/process_creation/proc_creation_win_wusa_cab_files_extraction.yml

Sources and licences

  • SigmaHQ

    "Cab File Extraction Via Wusa.EXE" by Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ). Rule: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules-threat-hunting/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_wusa_cab_files_extraction.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: Cab File Extraction Via Wusa.EXE",
entity page, dataset version ref-7f83c8ce1851, updated 2024-08-15T00:00:00.000Z,
https://ransomware-tracker.com/detections/sigma/59b39960-5f9d-4a49-9cef-1e4d2c1d0cb9 (accessed 2026-11-03).
Underlying source: SigmaHQ rule 59b39960-5f9d-4a49-9cef-1e4d2c1d0cb9, 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.