Windows Firewall exception rule deleted (Windows Firewall/Defender) EventID 2006/2052

Flags deletion of Windows Defender Firewall exception rules using EventID 2006 or 2052 with modifying application context.

FreeReviewedSigma · Medium · v2
Product
windows
Service
firewall-as
Author
frack113 (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2022-02-19
Updated
2026-07-31

ATT&CK techniques

  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 identifies when one or all firewall rules are deleted from the Windows Defender Firewall exception list, based on EventID 2006 and 2052. Attackers may remove firewall exceptions to disrupt security monitoring or impede access to needed network paths. It relies on Windows firewall service telemetry that records rule deletion events and the originating ModifyingApplication path.

Related detections9 linkedT1686.003 — drag to rearrange
Windows Firewall Allow Rule Added via WmiPrvSE.exe
Windows Firewall Exception Rule Added for Application in Suspicious Path
Windows Firewall Rules Deleted (Windows Defender Firewall) via Firewall-as Events
Windows Registry: Disable Firewall via EnableFirewall DWORD Policies
Windows Firewall rule deleted via netsh.exe command line
Windows Firewall Settings Change Events (Windows Firewall/Defender Firewall-AS)
Windows Defender Firewall Reset to Default Configuration (Firewall-as Service)
Windows Defender Firewall Service Failed to Load Group Policy (Event ID 2009)
Windows Firewall: New Exception List Rule Added (Uncommon Defender Firewall Event 2004/2071/2097)
Windows Firewall exception rule deleted (Windows Firewall/Defender) EventID 2006/2052
Pivot detection · T1686.003 · 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.