Sigma rule: Potentially Suspicious Self Extraction Directive File Created

A detection rule from the SigmaHQ repository, shown as its author published it. Dataset version ref-156302df82a4, updated 2024-02-05T00:00:00.000Z.

Rule

Title
Potentially Suspicious Self Extraction Directive File Created
Status
test
Level
medium
Author
Joseliyo Sanchez, @Joseliyo_Jstnk
Date
2024-02-05
File
rules/windows/file/file_executable_detected/file_executable_detected_win_susp_embeded_sed_file.yml
Commit
ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects the creation of a binary file with the ".sed" extension. The ".sed" extension stand for Self Extraction Directive files.
These files are used by the "iexpress.exe" utility in order to create self extracting packages.
Attackers were seen abusing this utility and creating PE files with embedded ".sed" entries.
Usually ".sed" files are simple ini files and not PE binaries.

Log source

product
windows
category
file_executable_detected

Detection

selection:
    TargetFilename|endswith: '.sed'
condition: selection

False positives (as the rule lists them)

  • Unknown

Tags

  • attack.stealth
  • attack.t1218

MITRE ATT&CK ids this rule names

Related rules

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/file/file_executable_detected/file_executable_detected_win_susp_embeded_sed_file.yml

Sources and licences

  • SigmaHQ

    "Potentially Suspicious Self Extraction Directive File Created" by Joseliyo Sanchez, @Joseliyo_Jstnk (SigmaHQ). Rule: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules/windows/file/file_executable_detected/file_executable_detected_win_susp_embeded_sed_file.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: Potentially Suspicious Self Extraction Directive File Created",
entity page, dataset version ref-156302df82a4, updated 2024-02-05T00:00:00.000Z,
https://ransomware-tracker.com/detections/sigma/ab90dab8-c7da-4010-9193-563528cfa347 (accessed 2026-11-03).
Underlying source: SigmaHQ rule ab90dab8-c7da-4010-9193-563528cfa347, commit ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84.

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