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

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

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

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

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

SplunkSPL