Sigma rule: Tamper Windows Defender Remove-MpPreference - ScriptBlockLogging

A detection rule from the SigmaHQ repository, shown as its author published it. Dataset version ref-a73199415f86, updated 2022-08-05T00:00:00.000Z.

Rule

Title
Tamper Windows Defender Remove-MpPreference - ScriptBlockLogging
Status
test
Level
high
Author
Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems)
Date
2022-08-05
File
rules/windows/powershell/powershell_script/posh_ps_tamper_windows_defender_rem_mp.yml
Commit
ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects attempts to remove Windows Defender configuration using the 'MpPreference' cmdlet

Log source

product
windows
category
ps_script
definition
Requirements: Script Block Logging must be enabled

Detection

selection_remove:
    ScriptBlockText|contains: 'Remove-MpPreference'
selection_tamper:
    ScriptBlockText|contains:
        - '-ControlledFolderAccessProtectedFolders '
        - '-AttackSurfaceReductionRules_Ids '
        - '-AttackSurfaceReductionRules_Actions '
        - '-CheckForSignaturesBeforeRunningScan '
condition: all of selection_*

False positives (as the rule lists them)

  • Legitimate PowerShell scripts

Tags

  • attack.defense-impairment
  • attack.t1685

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/powershell/powershell_script/posh_ps_tamper_windows_defender_rem_mp.yml

Sources and licences

  • SigmaHQ

    "Tamper Windows Defender Remove-MpPreference - ScriptBlockLogging" by Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ). Rule: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules/windows/powershell/powershell_script/posh_ps_tamper_windows_defender_rem_mp.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: Tamper Windows Defender Remove-MpPreference - ScriptBlockLogging",
entity page, dataset version ref-a73199415f86, updated 2022-08-05T00:00:00.000Z,
https://ransomware-tracker.com/detections/sigma/ae2bdd58-0681-48ac-be7f-58ab4e593458 (accessed 2026-11-03).
Underlying source: SigmaHQ rule ae2bdd58-0681-48ac-be7f-58ab4e593458, 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.