Sigma rule: File Download Via Bitsadmin

A detection rule from the SigmaHQ repository, shown as its author published it. Dataset version ref-b4dfa5fb34e4, updated 2023-02-15T00:00:00.000Z.

Rule

Title
File Download Via Bitsadmin
Status
test
Level
medium
Author
Michael Haag, FPT.EagleEye
Date
2017-03-09
Modified
2023-02-15
File
rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_bitsadmin_download.yml
Commit
ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects usage of bitsadmin downloading a file

Log source

product
windows
category
process_creation

Detection

selection_img:
    - Image|endswith: '\bitsadmin.exe'
    - OriginalFileName: 'bitsadmin.exe'
selection_cmd:
    CommandLine|contains: ' /transfer '
selection_cli_1:
    CommandLine|contains:
        - ' /create '
        - ' /addfile '
selection_cli_2:
    CommandLine|contains: 'http'
condition: selection_img and (selection_cmd or all of selection_cli_*)

False positives (as the rule lists them)

  • Some legitimate apps use this, but limited.

Tags

  • attack.persistence
  • attack.execution
  • attack.stealth
  • attack.t1197
  • attack.s0190
  • attack.t1036.003
  • attack.command-and-control
  • attack.t1105

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_bitsadmin_download.yml

Sources and licences

  • SigmaHQ

    "File Download Via Bitsadmin" by Michael Haag, FPT.EagleEye (SigmaHQ). Rule: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_bitsadmin_download.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 Download Via Bitsadmin",
entity page, dataset version ref-b4dfa5fb34e4, updated 2023-02-15T00:00:00.000Z,
https://ransomware-tracker.com/detections/sigma/d059842b-6b9d-4ed1-b5c3-5b89143c6ede (accessed 2026-11-03).
Underlying source: SigmaHQ rule d059842b-6b9d-4ed1-b5c3-5b89143c6ede, 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.