Sigma rule: Scheduled Task Creation Masquerading as System Processes

Rule

Title

Scheduled Task Creation Masquerading as System Processes

Status

experimental

Level

high

Author

Swachchhanda Shrawan Poudel (Nextron Systems)

Date

2025-02-05

File

rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_schtasks_system_process.yml

Commit

ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects the creation of scheduled tasks that involve system processes, which may indicate malicious actors masquerading as or abusing these processes to execute payloads or maintain persistence.

Log source

product

windows

category

process_creation

Detection

selection_img:
    - Image|endswith: '\schtasks.exe'
    - OriginalFileName: 'schtasks.exe'
selection_cli:
    CommandLine|contains|windash: ' /create '
    CommandLine|contains:
        - ' audiodg'
        - ' conhost'
        - ' dwm.exe'
        - ' explorer'
        - ' lsass'
        - ' lsm'
        - ' mmc'
        - ' msiexec'
        - ' regsvr32'
        - ' rundll32'
        - ' services'
        - ' spoolsv'
        - ' svchost'
        - ' taskeng'
        - ' taskhost'
        - ' wininit'
        - ' winlogon'
condition: all of selection_*

False positives (as the rule lists them)

• Legitimate system administration tasks scheduling trusted system processes.

Tags

• attack.privilege-escalation
• attack.execution
• attack.persistence
• attack.stealth
• attack.t1053.005
• attack.t1036.004
• attack.t1036.005

MITRE ATT&CK ids this rule names

• T1036.004
• T1036.005
• T1053.005

References

• https://tria.ge/241015-l98snsyeje/behavioral2

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_system_process.yml