Sigma rule: Hidden Executable In NTFS Alternate Data Stream

A detection rule from the SigmaHQ repository, shown as its author published it. Dataset version ref-f699e72f0f79, updated 2023-02-10T00:00:00.000Z.

Rule

Title
Hidden Executable In NTFS Alternate Data Stream
Status
test
Level
medium
Author
Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), @0xrawsec
Date
2018-06-03
Modified
2023-02-10
File
rules/windows/create_stream_hash/create_stream_hash_ads_executable.yml
Commit
ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects the creation of an ADS (Alternate Data Stream) that contains an executable by looking at a non-empty Imphash

Log source

product
windows
category
create_stream_hash
definition
Requirements: Sysmon or equivalent configured with Imphash logging

Detection

selection:
    Hash|contains: 'IMPHASH='
filter_main_null:
    Hash|contains: 'IMPHASH=00000000000000000000000000000000'
condition: selection and not 1 of filter_main_*

False positives (as the rule lists them)

  • This rule isn't looking for any particular binary characteristics. As legitimate installers and programs were seen embedding hidden binaries in their ADS. Some false positives are expected from browser processes and similar.

Tags

  • attack.stealth
  • attack.s0139
  • attack.t1564.004

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/create_stream_hash/create_stream_hash_ads_executable.yml

Sources and licences

  • SigmaHQ

    "Hidden Executable In NTFS Alternate Data Stream" by Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), @0xrawsec (SigmaHQ). Rule: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules/windows/create_stream_hash/create_stream_hash_ads_executable.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: Hidden Executable In NTFS Alternate Data Stream",
entity page, dataset version ref-f699e72f0f79, updated 2023-02-10T00:00:00.000Z,
https://ransomware-tracker.com/detections/sigma/b69888d4-380c-45ce-9cf9-d9ce46e67821 (accessed 2026-11-03).
Underlying source: SigmaHQ rule b69888d4-380c-45ce-9cf9-d9ce46e67821, 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.