Sigma rule: VsCode Code Tunnel Execution File Indicator

A detection rule from the SigmaHQ repository, shown as its author published it. Dataset version ref-8b0488c2a5cf, updated 2023-10-25T00:00:00.000Z.

Rule

Title
VsCode Code Tunnel Execution File Indicator
Status
test
Level
medium
Author
Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems)
Date
2023-10-25
File
rules-threat-hunting/windows/file/file_event/file_event_win_vscode_tunnel_indicators.yml
Commit
ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects the creation of a file with the name "code_tunnel.json" which indicate execution and usage of VsCode tunneling utility. Attackers can abuse this functionality to establish a C2 channel

Log source

product
windows
category
file_event

Detection

selection:
    TargetFilename|endswith: '\code_tunnel.json'
condition: selection

False positives (as the rule lists them)

  • Legitimate usage of VsCode tunneling functionality will also trigger this

Tags

  • attack.command-and-control
  • detection.threat-hunting

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/file/file_event/file_event_win_vscode_tunnel_indicators.yml

Sources and licences

  • SigmaHQ

    "VsCode Code Tunnel Execution File Indicator" by Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ). Rule: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules-threat-hunting/windows/file/file_event/file_event_win_vscode_tunnel_indicators.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: VsCode Code Tunnel Execution File Indicator",
entity page, dataset version ref-8b0488c2a5cf, updated 2023-10-25T00:00:00.000Z,
https://ransomware-tracker.com/detections/sigma/9661ec9d-4439-4a7a-abed-d9be4ca43b6d (accessed 2026-11-03).
Underlying source: SigmaHQ rule 9661ec9d-4439-4a7a-abed-d9be4ca43b6d, 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.