Sigma rule: Scheduled Task Creation From Potential Suspicious Parent Location

Rule

Title

Scheduled Task Creation From Potential Suspicious Parent Location

Status

test

Level

medium

Author

Florian Roth (Nextron Systems)

Date

2022-02-23

Modified

2024-05-13

File

rules-threat-hunting/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_schtasks_creation_from_susp_parent.yml

Commit

ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects the execution of "schtasks.exe" from a parent that is located in a potentially suspicious location.
Multiple malware strains were seen exhibiting a similar behavior in order to achieve persistence.

Log source

product

windows

category

process_creation

Detection

selection:
    ParentImage|contains:
        - ':\Temp\'
        - '\AppData\Local\'
        - '\AppData\Roaming\'
        - '\Temporary Internet'
        - '\Users\Public\'
        - '\Windows\Temp\'
    Image|endswith: '\schtasks.exe'
    CommandLine|contains: '/Create '
filter_optional_common:
    CommandLine|contains:
        - 'update_task.xml'
        - 'unattended.ini'
condition: selection and not 1 of filter_optional_*

False positives (as the rule lists them)

• Software installers that run from temporary folders and also install scheduled tasks

Tags

• attack.execution
• attack.persistence
• attack.privilege-escalation
• attack.t1053.005
• detection.threat-hunting

MITRE ATT&CK ids this rule names

• T1053.005

References

• https://app.any.run/tasks/649e7b46-9bec-4d05-98a5-dfa9a13eaae5/

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_schtasks_creation_from_susp_parent.yml