Malicious BitLocker Encryption With Shadow Copy Removal via manage-bde (via process_creation)

ATT&CK techniques

Impact

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact
- T1486Data Encrypted for Impact
- T1490Inhibit System Recovery

What it detects

This rule detects manage-bde being used to turn on BitLocker encryption while removing volume shadow copies in a single operation. This tradecraft is used to weaponise the built-in BitLocker feature for ransomware encryption while destroying recovery data. Encrypting volumes and deleting shadow copies denies access to systems and inhibits restoration to extort the victim.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1490 — drag to rearrange

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Malicious Azure Storage and Compute Destruction via Key Listing and Snapshot Deletion

Windows process activity matching WannaCry executables and ransom note text

Malicious Shadow Copy Deletion via WMIC via Process Creation (via process_creation)

Suspicious Anti-Recovery Zeroing via fsutil setZeroData (via process_creation)

Malicious Shadow Copy Removal via WMI PowerShell

Malicious BitLocker Encryption With Shadow Copy Removal via manage-bde (via process_creation)

Pivot detection · T1490 · 9 related

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