Windows msdt.exe Creating Files in Common Startup and Public Directories

Alerts when msdt.exe writes files to high-suspicion directories that may indicate persistence after exploitation.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v2

Product: windows
Category: file_event
Author: Vadim Varganov, Florian Roth (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published: 2022-08-24
Updated: 2026-07-31

ATT&CK techniques

Persistence → Priv Esc

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
- T1547.001Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder
Priv Esc
- T1547.001Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule flags file creation events where msdt.exe (msdt.exe) writes to directories commonly used for persistence or where attackers may stage payloads, including the Desktop, Startup folders, C:\PerfLogs, C:\ProgramData, and C:\Users\Public. Such activity can indicate exploitation that leverages msdt.exe to place files for follow-on execution. It relies on Windows file event telemetry capturing both the process image path and the target filename of created files.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1547.001 — drag to rearrange

Suspicious Autorun Registry Persistence via sausageLoop Run Key

Malicious BabyLockerKZ Run Key Persistence

Suspicious Run Key Persistence Pointing To User-Writable Path

Malicious Ctrlpanel Run Key Autostart Persistence (via registry_set)

Persistence Run Key Pointing to svchost.exe in AppData Roaming

URL Shortcut File Created in Startup Folder for Persistence

Suspicious Run Key Persistence via UpdateCheck Value in Operation TrueChaos

Suspicious Run Key Persistence Pointing to AppData Local Copy

Malicious WezRat Persistence via Chrome Updater Run Key

Windows msdt.exe Creating Files in Common Startup and Public Directories

Pivot detection · T1547.001 · 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-msdt-exe-creating-files-in-suspicious-directories-318557a5

title: Windows msdt.exe Creating Files in Common Startup and Public Directories
id: 98fad3f4-b5e2-44a5-b690-b98b9ef3fe6a
status: test
description: This rule flags file creation events where msdt.exe (msdt.exe) writes to directories commonly used for persistence or where attackers may stage payloads, including the Desktop, Startup folders, C:\PerfLogs, C:\ProgramData, and C:\Users\Public. Such activity can indicate exploitation that leverages msdt.exe to place files for follow-on execution. It relies on Windows file event telemetry capturing both the process image path and the target filename of created files.
references:
  - https://irsl.medium.com/the-trouble-with-microsofts-troubleshooters-6e32fc80b8bd
  - https://msrc-blog.microsoft.com/2022/05/30/guidance-for-cve-2022-30190-microsoft-support-diagnostic-tool-vulnerability/
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/file/file_event/file_event_win_msdt_susp_directories.yml
author: Vadim Varganov, Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2022-08-24
modified: 2023-02-23
tags:
  - attack.privilege-escalation
  - attack.persistence
  - attack.t1547.001
  - cve.2022-30190
logsource:
  category: file_event
  product: windows
detection:
  selection:
    Image|endswith: \msdt.exe
    TargetFilename|contains:
      - \Desktop\
      - \Start Menu\Programs\Startup\
      - C:\PerfLogs\
      - C:\ProgramData\
      - C:\Users\Public\
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Unknown
level: high
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: 318557a5-150c-4c8d-b70e-a9910e199857
    type: derived

Convert

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

SplunkSPL