huntrule

Windows Backup Catalog Deleted (Microsoft-Windows-Backup Event ID 524)

Alerts when Windows deletes the backup catalog via Microsoft-Windows-Backup Event ID 524.

FreeReviewedSigma · Medium · v2
Product
windows
Service
application
Author
Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), Tom U. @c_APT_ure (collection) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2017-05-12
Updated
2026-07-31
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

Defense Evasion

  1. Recon

  2. Resource Dev

  3. Initial Access

  4. Execution

  5. Persistence

  6. Priv Esc

  7. Defense Evasion

  8. Cred Access

  9. Discovery

  10. Lateral Movement

  11. Collection

  12. C2

  13. Exfiltration

  14. Impact

What it detects

This rule flags deletion of the Windows backup catalog by matching Microsoft-Windows-Backup events with Event ID 524. Attackers can use backup catalog removal to disrupt recovery artifacts or hinder forensic recovery while reducing observable traces. The detection relies on application telemetry from the Windows Backup provider, specifically the presence of EventID 524 from Microsoft-Windows-Backup.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1070.004 — drag to rearrange
Suspicious Crontab Removal via Command Line (via process_creation)
Suspicious Self-Deletion via Ping Loopback and Del (via process_creation)
Malicious Self-Deletion Via Fsutil SetZeroData
Self-Deletion via Ping Loopback Delay and Del Command
Suspicious Deletion of Explorer RunMRU Values
Suspicious PowerShell Self-Delete Of Executable via Process Creation
Suspicious Prefetch Deletion for Anti-Forensics
Malicious Ransomware Self-Deletion via Ping Loopback and Del
Suspicious Self-Deletion Batch Artifact by JadeProx TriBack Loader (via file_event)
Windows Backup Catalog Deleted (Microsoft-Windows-Backup Event ID 524)
Pivot detection · T1070.004 · 9 related

Changelog

v2
  1. v2
    Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
  2. 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.