Windows: Deno writes files from remote HTTPS content into AppData
Alerts when Deno writes to user AppData while using remote HTTPS download-style paths.
- Product
- windows
- Category
- file_event
- Author
- Josh Nickels, Michael Taggart (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
- Published
- 2025-05-22
- Updated
- 2026-07-31
ATT&CK techniques
Execution → C2Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
Exfiltration
Impact
What it detects
This rule matches Windows file events where the target path contains Deno-generated remote HTTPS directories and also includes a user AppData location (e.g., ':\Users\' and '\AppData\'). Attackers may abuse Deno to fetch content over HTTP(s) and place it into writable application data folders to stage execution artifacts. Telemetry relied on is Windows file event data, specifically the TargetFilename path reported by the endpoint.
Reporting behind it
Changelog
v2- v2Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
- v1No 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.
title: "Windows: Deno writes files from remote HTTPS content into AppData"
id: 7b502f3c-bf99-4c54-8a9a-a7f567497684
status: experimental
description: This rule matches Windows file events where the target path contains Deno-generated remote HTTPS directories and also includes a user AppData location (e.g., ':\Users\' and '\AppData\'). Attackers may abuse Deno to fetch content over HTTP(s) and place it into writable application data folders to stage execution artifacts. Telemetry relied on is Windows file event data, specifically the TargetFilename path reported by the endpoint.
references:
- https://taggart-tech.com/evildeno/
- https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/file/file_event/file_event_win_creation_deno.yml
author: Josh Nickels, Michael Taggart, Huntrule Team
date: 2025-05-22
tags:
- attack.execution
- attack.t1204
- attack.t1059.007
- attack.command-and-control
- attack.t1105
logsource:
category: file_event
product: windows
detection:
selection_path:
TargetFilename|contains:
- \deno\gen\
- \deno\remote\https\
TargetFilename|contains|all:
- :\Users\
- \AppData\
condition: selection_path
falsepositives:
- Legitimate usage of deno to request a file or bring a DLL to a host
level: low
license: DRL-1.1
related:
- id: 6c0ce3b6-85e2-49d4-9c3f-6e008ce9796e
type: derived