Suspicious Netsh Allow Group Policy on Microsoft Defender Firewall (via process_creation)

title: Suspicious Netsh Allow Group Policy on Microsoft Defender Firewall (via process_creation)
id: bf69ff0e-a987-54b3-be71-a559241f750e
status: stable
description: This rule detects threat actors may modify system firewalls to bypass controls limiting network use
references:
    - https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1686/003/
    - https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1562.004/T1562.004.md#atomic-test-3---allow-smb-and-rdp-on-microsoft-defender-firewall
    - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-server/networking/netsh-advfirewall-firewall-control-firewall-behavior
author: Huntrule Team
date: 2026-07-11
tags:
    - attack.defense-impairment
    - attack.t1686.003
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection_img:
        - Image|endswith: '\netsh.exe'
        - OriginalFileName: 'netsh.exe'
    selection_cli:
        CommandLine|contains|all:
            - 'advfirewall'
            - 'firewall'
            - 'set'
            - 'rule'
            - 'group='
            - 'new'
            - 'enable=Yes'
    condition: all of selection_*
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: medium