Suspicious Scheduled Task Masquerading as EdgeUpdateHelper via process_creation

ATT&CK techniques

Execution → Priv Esc

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
- T1053.005Scheduled Task
Persistence
- T1053.005Scheduled Task
Priv Esc
- T1053.005Scheduled Task
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule detects schtasks.exe creating a scheduled task named EdgeUpdateHelper. GhostSocks operators use this Edge-updater-themed task name to blend malicious persistence with legitimate Microsoft Edge update tasks, keeping the infostealer running while evading casual review of scheduled tasks.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1053.005 — drag to rearrange

Suspicious Scheduled Task Creation Referencing dllFake Batch Scripts (via process_creation)

Suspicious Scheduled Task Creation With WebDAV Loader Task Names (via process_creation)

Suspicious Scheduled Task Creation with ClickFix Update Recon Name (via process_creation)

Malicious Scheduled Task Named Gentlemen via Schtasks

Malicious Scheduled Task Masquerading as Defender NisSrv via Schtasks

Malicious Scheduled Task Masquerading as Windows Defender Updater (via process_creation)

Suspicious Scheduled Task Masquerading as Palo Alto Cortex Services

Malicious Scheduled Task Running rundll32 w32analytics (via process_creation)

Malicious Scheduled rundll32 Execution of ProgramData VMware DLL by BianLian

Suspicious Scheduled Task Masquerading as EdgeUpdateHelper via process_creation

Pivot detection · T1053.005 · 9 related

Detection content is published as a reviewed draft. Tune thresholds and exclusions against your own telemetry before enabling this rule for alerting.

Full detection rule

Unlock this rule to view and copy it

The detection logic is included with a plan. Everything else — context, mappings and implementation details — stays free on this page.

Sign in for 3 free unlocks

Signing in gives you 3 unlocks to spend on any rule in the library. No card, and they do not expire.

Also included

Unlocked rules convert on this page — to Splunk SPL or Splunk — Raw Index SPL or Microsoft Sentinel KQL or Microsoft Sentinel ASIM ASIM KQL or Microsoft Defender XDR KQL or Elastic Security KQL or Elastic Security Lucene or Elastic Security ES|QL or CrowdStrike Falcon CQL or SentinelOne PowerQuery or Palo Alto Cortex XDR XQL or Carbon Black Cloud Platform Search or Carbon Black EDR Process Search or Google Security Operations UDM Search or IBM QRadar AQL or Sumo Logic Cloud SIEM Rules expression or Rapid7 InsightIDR LEQL or Graylog Search or OpenSearch Lucene or OpenSearch PPL PPL or Grafana Loki LogQL or SQLite SQL or Zircolite SQLite — with the log-source profile the engine picked, the field map it used, and everything it could not express. Converting a rule you have unlocked costs no further credit.

See it run on a free rule →Convert your own rule →