Sigma rule: Scheduled Task Creation Via Schtasks.EXE

Rule

Title

Scheduled Task Creation Via Schtasks.EXE

Status

test

Level

low

Author

Florian Roth (Nextron Systems)

Date

2019-01-16

Modified

2025-10-22

File

rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_schtasks_creation.yml

Commit

ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects the creation of scheduled tasks by user accounts via the "schtasks" utility.

Log source

product

windows

category

process_creation

Detection

selection:
    Image|endswith: '\schtasks.exe'
    CommandLine|contains: ' /create '
filter_main_system_user:
    User|contains: # covers many language settings
        - 'AUTHORI'
        - 'AUTORI'
filter_optional_msoffice:
    #  schtasks.exe /Create /tn "Microsoft\Office\Office Performance Monitor" /XML "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\ClickToRun\{9AC08E99-230B-47e8-9721-4577B7F124EA}\Microsoft_Office_Office Performance Monitor.xml"
    ParentImage:
        - 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\integration\integrator.exe'
        - 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\integration\integrator.exe'
    Image:
        - 'C:\Windows\System32\schtasks.exe'
        - 'C:\Windows\SysWOW64\schtasks.exe'
    CommandLine|contains: 'Microsoft\Office\Office Performance Monitor'
condition: selection and not 1 of filter_main_* and not 1 of filter_optional_*

False positives (as the rule lists them)

• Administrative activity
• Software installation

Tags

• attack.execution
• attack.persistence
• attack.privilege-escalation
• attack.t1053.005
• attack.s0111
• car.2013-08-001
• stp.1u

MITRE ATT&CK ids this rule names

• S0111
• T1053.005

References

• https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/schtasks-create

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_schtasks_creation.yml