URL Shortcut File Created in Startup Folder for Persistence
- Product
- windows
- Category
- file_event
- Author
- HuntRule
- Published
- 2026-09-09
- Updated
- 2026-09-09
ATT&CK techniques
Persistence → Priv EscRecon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact
What it detects
This rule detects the creation of a .url shortcut file inside a Windows Startup folder. The Yashma ransomware planted a .url startup file to relaunch its payload at logon. Attackers abuse Startup-folder shortcut files to achieve low-privilege persistence that runs automatically for the affected user.
Reporting behind it
- blog.talosintelligence.comhttps://blog.talosintelligence.com/new-threat-actor-using-yashma-ransomware/
- attack.mitre.orghttps://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1547/009/
- microsoft.comhttps://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2025/03/06/malvertising-campaign-leads-to-info-stealers-hosted-on-github/
- attack.mitre.orghttps://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1547/001/
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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