Sigma rule: File Explorer Folder Opened Using Explorer Folder Shortcut Via Shell

A detection rule from the SigmaHQ repository, shown as its author published it. Dataset version ref-93f591b1be8a, updated 2024-08-23T00:00:00.000Z.

Rule

Title
File Explorer Folder Opened Using Explorer Folder Shortcut Via Shell
Status
test
Level
high
Author
@Kostastsale
Date
2022-12-22
Modified
2024-08-23
File
rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_explorer_folder_shortcut_via_shell_binary.yml
Commit
ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects the initial execution of "cmd.exe" which spawns "explorer.exe" with the appropriate command line arguments for opening the "My Computer" folder.

Log source

product
windows
category
process_creation

Detection

selection:
    ParentImage|endswith:
        - '\cmd.exe'
        - '\powershell.exe'
        - '\pwsh.exe'
    Image|endswith: '\explorer.exe'
    CommandLine|contains: 'shell:mycomputerfolder'
condition: selection

False positives (as the rule lists them)

  • Unknown

Tags

  • attack.discovery
  • attack.t1135

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_explorer_folder_shortcut_via_shell_binary.yml

Sources and licences

  • SigmaHQ

    "File Explorer Folder Opened Using Explorer Folder Shortcut Via Shell" by @Kostastsale (SigmaHQ). Rule: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_explorer_folder_shortcut_via_shell_binary.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: File Explorer Folder Opened Using Explorer Folder Shortcut Via Shell",
entity page, dataset version ref-93f591b1be8a, updated 2024-08-23T00:00:00.000Z,
https://ransomware-tracker.com/detections/sigma/c3d76afc-93df-461e-8e67-9b2bad3f2ac4 (accessed 2026-11-03).
Underlying source: SigmaHQ rule c3d76afc-93df-461e-8e67-9b2bad3f2ac4, 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.