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

ATT&CK techniques

Defense Evasion

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
- T1070.004File Deletion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
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

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Suspicious Zone.Identifier Mark-of-the-Web Removal (via process_creation)

Suspicious Self-Deletion of Dropper via Command Line

Suspicious Self-Deletion via Choice Timer and Del Command via Cmd (via process_creation)

Suspicious Jump List AutomaticDestinations Deletion via Cmd (via process_creation)

Suspicious Self-Delete via cmd choice Timeout and Del

Suspicious Ping Loopback Delay Followed by File Deletion for Evasion

Suspicious Alternate Data Stream Self-Deletion via process_creation

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

Pivot detection · T1070.004 · 9 related

Changelog

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-backup-catalog-deletion-microsoft-windows-backup-event-524-9703792d

title: Windows Backup Catalog Deleted (Microsoft-Windows-Backup Event ID 524)
id: 213e9b3f-74eb-4623-b019-43835b02235e
status: test
description: 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.
references:
  - https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc742154(v=ws.11).aspx
  - https://www.hybrid-analysis.com/sample/ed01ebfbc9eb5bbea545af4d01bf5f1071661840480439c6e5babe8e080e41aa?environmentId=100
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/builtin/application/microsoft_windows_backup/win_susp_backup_delete.yml
author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), Tom U. @c_APT_ure (collection), Huntrule Team
date: 2017-05-12
modified: 2022-12-25
tags:
  - attack.stealth
  - attack.t1070.004
logsource:
  product: windows
  service: application
detection:
  selection:
    EventID: 524
    Provider_Name: Microsoft-Windows-Backup
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Unknown
level: medium
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: 9703792d-fd9a-456d-a672-ff92efe4806a
    type: derived

Convert

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