Sigma rule: Tap Installer Execution

A detection rule from the SigmaHQ repository, shown as its author published it. Dataset version ref-43bd99a6a3cd, updated 2023-12-11T00:00:00.000Z.

Rule

Title
Tap Installer Execution
Status
test
Level
medium
Author
Daniil Yugoslavskiy, Ian Davis, oscd.community
Date
2019-10-24
Modified
2023-12-11
File
rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_tapinstall_execution.yml
Commit
ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Well-known TAP software installation. Possible preparation for data exfiltration using tunneling techniques

Log source

product
windows
category
process_creation

Detection

selection:
    Image|endswith: '\tapinstall.exe'
filter_optional_avast:
    Image|contains:
        - ':\Program Files\Avast Software\SecureLine VPN\'
        - ':\Program Files (x86)\Avast Software\SecureLine VPN\'
filter_optional_openvpn:
    Image|contains: ':\Program Files\OpenVPN Connect\drivers\tap\'
filter_optional_protonvpn:
    Image|contains: ':\Program Files (x86)\Proton Technologies\ProtonVPNTap\installer\'
condition: selection and not 1 of filter_optional_*

False positives (as the rule lists them)

  • Legitimate OpenVPN TAP installation

Tags

  • attack.exfiltration
  • attack.t1048

MITRE ATT&CK ids this rule names

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/process_creation/proc_creation_win_tapinstall_execution.yml

Sources and licences

  • SigmaHQ

    "Tap Installer Execution" by Daniil Yugoslavskiy, Ian Davis, oscd.community (SigmaHQ). Rule: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_tapinstall_execution.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: Tap Installer Execution",
entity page, dataset version ref-43bd99a6a3cd, updated 2023-12-11T00:00:00.000Z,
https://ransomware-tracker.com/detections/sigma/99793437-3e16-439b-be0f-078782cf953d (accessed 2026-11-03).
Underlying source: SigmaHQ rule 99793437-3e16-439b-be0f-078782cf953d, 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.