Antivirus detections for executables and web scripts in relevant file paths

Alerts on AV hits involving suspicious file locations and web/script-related extensions.

FreeUnreviewedSigmahighv1
title: Antivirus detections for executables and web scripts in relevant file paths
id: 379af4ee-b3d2-44ae-8358-0948c380a96e
status: test
description: This rule flags antivirus alerts where the reported Filename contains or ends with patterns commonly associated with system, user, and web-accessible locations. Attackers often stage malicious files in these directories or disguise them as scripts and web-related assets, so even AV-blocked events can indicate failed or partial intrusion attempts. The detection relies on antivirus telemetry fields containing the Filename substring and suffix matches for specified paths and file extensions.
references:
  - https://www.nextron-systems.com/?s=antivirus
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/category/antivirus/av_relevant_files.yml
author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), Arnim Rupp, Huntrule Team
date: 2018-09-09
modified: 2026-06-29
tags:
  - attack.resource-development
  - attack.t1588
logsource:
  category: antivirus
detection:
  selection_path:
    Filename|contains:
      - :\PerfLogs\
      - :\Temp\
      - :\Users\Default\
      - :\Users\Public\
      - :\Windows\
      - /www/
      - \inetpub\
      - \tsclient\
      - apache
      - nginx
      - tomcat
      - weblogic
  selection_ext:
    Filename|endswith:
      - .asax
      - .ashx
      - .asmx
      - .asp
      - .aspx
      - .bat
      - .cfm
      - .cgi
      - .chm
      - .cmd
      - .dat
      - .ear
      - .gif
      - .hta
      - .jpeg
      - .jpg
      - .jsp
      - .jspx
      - .lnk
      - .msc
      - .php
      - .pl
      - .png
      - .ps1
      - .psm1
      - .py
      - .pyc
      - .rb
      - .scf
      - .sct
      - .sh
      - .svg
      - .txt
      - .vbe
      - .vbs
      - .war
      - .wll
      - .wsf
      - .wsh
      - .xll
      - .xml
  condition: 1 of selection_*
falsepositives:
  - Unlikely
level: high
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: c9a88268-0047-4824-ba6e-4d81ce0b907c
    type: derived

What it detects

This rule flags antivirus alerts where the reported Filename contains or ends with patterns commonly associated with system, user, and web-accessible locations. Attackers often stage malicious files in these directories or disguise them as scripts and web-related assets, so even AV-blocked events can indicate failed or partial intrusion attempts. The detection relies on antivirus telemetry fields containing the Filename substring and suffix matches for specified paths and file extensions.

Known false positives

  • Unlikely

Detection content is published as a reviewed draft. Tune thresholds and exclusions against your own telemetry before enabling this rule for alerting.