Suspicious Windows Defender Exclusion Added via Add-MpPreference

ATT&CK techniques

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule detects use of Add-MpPreference to register Microsoft Defender exclusion paths extensions or processes which the TorNet backdoor campaign performs to prevent detection of its payloads before execution. While administrators occasionally set exclusions attacker driven exclusion changes are a common defense evasion step that should be validated against change management.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1685 — drag to rearrange

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Malicious Microsoft Defender Critical Security Components Disabled - Command (via process_creation)

Malicious Microsoft Defender Service Deactivation Attempt - Command (via process_creation)

Malicious Wdigest Authentication Enabled - Reg via Command (via process_creation)

Suspicious Windows Defender Exclusion Added via Add-MpPreference

Pivot detection · T1685 · 9 related

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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