Suspicious Modification of Windows Hosts File
- Product
- windows
- Category
- file_event
- Author
- HuntRule
- Published
- 2026-09-20
- Updated
- 2026-09-20
ATT&CK techniques
C2 → ImpactRecon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
Exfiltration
What it detects
This rule detects writes to the Windows hosts file, which Cyber Stealer manipulates to poison DNS resolution and redirect or block traffic such as security-vendor domains. Because the hosts file is rarely changed on managed endpoints, modifications outside of controlled administration are a meaningful sign of network defense tampering.
Reporting behind it
- esentire.comhttps://www.esentire.com/blog/cyber-stealer-analysis-when-your-malware-developer-has-fomo-about-features
- attack.mitre.orghttps://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1565/001/
- securelist.comhttps://securelist.com/tr/escan-supply-chain-attack/120040/
- attack.mitre.orghttps://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1562/001/
- attack.mitre.orghttps://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1071/001/
- crowdstrike.comhttps://www.crowdstrike.com/en-us/blog/anatomy-of-alpha-spider-ransomware/
- attack.mitre.orghttps://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1565/
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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