Windows Audit Policy Tampering Using auditpol.exe Command-Line Flags

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 flags process executions of auditpol.exe where the command line includes audit policy–impacting flags to disable, clear, remove, or restore audit policies. Such activity matters because modifying audit policy can impair visibility and detection by reducing what events are collected. The detection relies on Windows process creation telemetry capturing the executable name (including auditpol.exe) and the full command line.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1685.001 — drag to rearrange

Malicious Security Event Log Disabled via wevtutil

Malicious SQL Server Auditing Deactivated (via application)

Malicious Event Log Deactivation or Size Reduction - Command (via process_creation)

Malicious Audit Policy Disabled by Command Line (via process_creation)

Suspicious IIS Logging Disabled via appcmd

Malicious SQL Server Database Auditing Deactivated (via application)

Malicious Audit Policy Disabled by Command Line (via security)

Malicious Event Log Tampering via wevtutil Channel Disable by FunkSec Ransomware (via process_creation)

OCSP Responder Auditing Settings Changed or Disabled (via security)

Windows Audit Policy Tampering Using auditpol.exe Command-Line Flags

Pivot detection · T1685.001 · 9 related

Changelog

v2

v2
Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
v1
No changelog recorded for this version.2026-07-30

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

windows-audit-policy-tampering-via-auditpol-exe-disable-clear-remove-restore-0a13e132

title: Windows Audit Policy Tampering Using auditpol.exe Command-Line Flags
id: dcf1c442-f3ad-43e6-a2a4-c045c7e6e5b7
related:
  - id: c6c56ada-612b-42d1-9a29-adad3c5c2c1e
    type: similar
  - id: 0a13e132-651d-11eb-ae93-0242ac130002
    type: derived
status: test
description: This rule flags process executions of auditpol.exe where the command line includes audit policy–impacting flags to disable, clear, remove, or restore audit policies. Such activity matters because modifying audit policy can impair visibility and detection by reducing what events are collected. The detection relies on Windows process creation telemetry capturing the executable name (including auditpol.exe) and the full command line.
references:
  - https://www.microsoft.com/security/blog/2021/01/20/deep-dive-into-the-solorigate-second-stage-activation-from-sunburst-to-teardrop-and-raindrop/
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_auditpol_susp_execution.yml
author: Janantha Marasinghe (https://github.com/blueteam0ps), Huntrule Team
date: 2021-02-02
modified: 2023-02-22
tags:
  - attack.defense-impairment
  - attack.t1685.001
logsource:
  category: process_creation
  product: windows
detection:
  selection_img:
    - Image|endswith: \auditpol.exe
    - OriginalFileName: AUDITPOL.EXE
  selection_cli:
    CommandLine|contains:
      - disable
      - clear
      - remove
      - restore
  condition: all of selection_*
falsepositives:
  - Administrator or administrator scripts might leverage the flags mentioned in the detection section. Either way, it should always be monitored
level: high
license: DRL-1.1

Convert

This rule as a query you can run. Uses no unlock credit.

SplunkSPL