Suspicious Scheduled Task Executing Payload from Registry (via process_creation)

title: Suspicious Scheduled Task Executing Payload from Registry (via process_creation)
id: f7a0c3bb-f0ff-5115-bb21-440f966ae161
status: stable
description: This rule detects the creation of a schtasks that potentially runs a payload stored in the Windows Registry using PowerShell.
references:
    - https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/001/
    - https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1053/005/
    - https://thedfirreport.com/2022/02/21/qbot-and-zerologon-lead-to-full-domain-compromise/
author: Huntrule Team
date: 2026-06-06
tags:
    - attack.privilege-escalation
    - attack.execution
    - attack.persistence
    - attack.t1053.005
    - attack.t1059.001
logsource:
    product: windows
    category: process_creation
detection:
    selection_img:
        - Image|endswith: '\schtasks.exe'
        - OriginalFileName: 'schtasks.exe'
    selection_cli_create:
        CommandLine|contains: '/Create'
    selection_cli_get:
        CommandLine|contains:
            - 'Get-ItemProperty'
            - ' gp '
    selection_cli_hive:
        CommandLine|contains:
            - 'HKCU:'
            - 'HKLM:'
            - 'registry::'
            - 'HKEY_'
    filter_main_encoding:
        CommandLine|contains:
            - 'FromBase64String'
            - 'encodedcommand'
    condition: all of selection_* and not 1 of filter_*
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: medium