Sigma rule: Sysmon File Executable Creation Detected

A detection rule from the SigmaHQ repository, shown as its author published it. Dataset version ref-8adcf063abea, updated 2023-07-20T00:00:00.000Z.

Rule

Title
Sysmon File Executable Creation Detected
Status
test
Level
medium
Author
frack113
Date
2023-07-20
File
rules/windows/sysmon/sysmon_file_executable_detected.yml
Commit
ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects Portable Executable (PE) files creation events logged by Sysmon in paths monitored by the used Sysmon configuration.
This is a high-value detection for catching unauthorized or suspicious executable drops.
Alert volume and scope depend entirely on which paths or files are monitored in the Sysmon config.
A high noise level or hits from known-legitimate software are a strong signal that the Sysmon configuration is too permissive, not that the detection itself is wrong and probably needs to be tuned to a more restrictive set of paths or files.

Log source

product
windows
service
sysmon

Detection

selection:
    EventID: 29  # this is fine, we want to match any FileExecutableDetected event
condition: selection

False positives (as the rule lists them)

  • Legitimate software writing executables to monitored paths - if this occurs, narrow the Sysmon configuration to more sensitive paths rather than suppressing this rule

Tags

  • attack.defense-impairment

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/sysmon/sysmon_file_executable_detected.yml

Sources and licences

  • SigmaHQ

    "Sysmon File Executable Creation Detected" by frack113 (SigmaHQ). Rule: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules/windows/sysmon/sysmon_file_executable_detected.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: Sysmon File Executable Creation Detected",
entity page, dataset version ref-8adcf063abea, updated 2023-07-20T00:00:00.000Z,
https://ransomware-tracker.com/detections/sigma/693a44e9-7f26-4cb6-b787-214867672d3a (accessed 2026-11-03).
Underlying source: SigmaHQ rule 693a44e9-7f26-4cb6-b787-214867672d3a, 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.