Suspicious Deleted Data Overwritten Through Cipher.EXE (via process_creation)

title: Suspicious Deleted Data Overwritten Through Cipher.EXE (via process_creation)
id: e048e1d0-15fb-5372-89d0-667794f763bf
status: stable
description: This rule detects use of the "cipher" built-in utility to overwrite deleted data from disk. Adversaries may destroy data and files on specific systems or in large numbers on a network to interrupt availability to systems, services, and network resources. Data destruction is likely to render stored data irrecoverable by forensic methods through overwriting files or data on local and remote drives
references:
    - https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1485/
    - https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1485/T1485.md#atomic-test-3---overwrite-deleted-data-on-c-drive
author: Huntrule Team
date: 2026-01-06
tags:
    - attack.impact
    - attack.t1485
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection_img:
        - OriginalFileName: 'CIPHER.EXE'
        - Image|endswith: '\cipher.exe'
    selection_cli:
        CommandLine|contains: ' /w:'
    condition: all of selection_*
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: medium
regression_tests_path: regression_data/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_cipher_overwrite_deleted_data/info.yml
simulation:
    - type: atomic-red-team
      name: Overwrite deleted data on C drive
      technique: T1485
      atomic_guid: 321fd25e-0007-417f-adec-33232252be19