Malicious Tampering With Windows Defender Protection (via process_creation)

ATT&CK techniques

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule detects command-line attempts to disable core Microsoft Defender protections, such as turning off real-time monitoring through Set-MpPreference or adding broad exclusions, or stopping and disabling the WinDefend service. Impairing endpoint defenses is a common defense-evasion step in the Red Canary Threat Detection Report, clearing the way for follow-on tooling to run undetected. Detecting these tamper commands surfaces the adversary weakening the host before further action.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1685 — drag to rearrange

Malicious Microsoft Defender Real-Time Monitoring Disabled via Set-MpPreference (via process_creation)

Suspicious Windows Defender Exclusion Added via PowerShell via Process Creation (via process_creation)

Malicious TCC AppleEvents Reset via Tccutil

Suspicious ESXi Management Agent Stop via vpxa init Script (via process_creation)

Malicious ESXi Firewall Disable via esxcli (via process_creation)

Malicious ESXi Syslog Redirection to tmp via esxcli

Suspicious Windows Defender Exclusion Enumeration via reg query (via process_creation)

Malicious Windows Defender Exclusion Added via PowerShell (via process_creation)

Malicious BYOVD EDR Kill via Renamed GMER Driver by Agonizing Serpens

Malicious Tampering With Windows Defender Protection (via process_creation)

Pivot detection · T1685 · 9 related

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

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