Suspicious Data Staging via Password-Protected Archive Utility (via process_creation)

ATT&CK techniques

Collection

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
- T1560.001Archive via Utility
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule detects command-line archive tools (rar, 7z, WinRAR) creating password-protected or split archives, a collection-and-staging step attackers use to bundle stolen data before exfiltration. Archiving collected data is a technique tracked in the Red Canary Threat Detection Report. Detecting these invocations surfaces data being packaged for theft.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1560.001 — drag to rearrange

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Suspicious Payload Staging in Public Libraries Directory via file_event

Suspicious macOS Data Staging via ditto to Temp Archive in Attacker Directory (via process_creation)

Suspicious WinRAR Silent Archive Staging

Suspicious VOLTZITE Single-Character Named ZIP Exfil Staging (via file_event)

Linux Process Creation Indicators for LiteLLM Backdoored Package Activity (v1.82.7/v1.82.8)

macOS Process Creation: hdiutil Used to Attach or Mount Disk Images

Windows tar.exe Used to Create Compressed Archives

Suspicious Data Staging via Password-Protected Archive Utility (via process_creation)

Pivot detection · T1560.001 · 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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