Windows Network Connections from Processes in Suspicious or Uncommon File System Paths

title: Windows Network Connections from Processes in Suspicious or Uncommon File System Paths
id: 8c4ee897-ea32-4d6e-b2ae-3168ddf83ac1
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    type: derived
status: test
description: This rule flags network connections where the initiating process is running from a set of suspicious or uncommon Windows file system locations. Attackers often stage tools or persistence artifacts in user-writable directories, system task/placeholder paths, or atypical folders to blend in or avoid defenses. The detection relies on Windows network connection telemetry that includes whether the connection was initiated and the process image path so those paths can be evaluated against the defined indicators.
references:
  - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/17pSTDNpa0sf6pHeRhusvWG6rThciE8CsXTSlDUAZDyo
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/network_connection/net_connection_win_susp_initiated_uncommon_or_suspicious_locations.yml
author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2017-03-19
modified: 2026-03-29
tags:
  - attack.command-and-control
  - attack.t1105
logsource:
  category: network_connection
  product: windows
detection:
  selection:
    Initiated: "true"
    Image|contains:
      - :\$Recycle.bin
      - :\Perflogs\
      - :\Temp\
      - :\Users\Default\
      - :\Users\Public\
      - :\Windows\Fonts\
      - :\Windows\IME\
      - :\Windows\System32\Tasks\
      - :\Windows\Tasks\
      - \config\systemprofile\
      - \Contacts\
      - \Favorites\
      - \Favourites\
      - \Music\
      - \Pictures\
      - \Videos\
      - \Windows\addins\
  filter_main_domains:
    DestinationHostname|endswith:
      - .githubusercontent.com
      - 0x0.st
      - anonfiles.com
      - bashupload.com
      - cdn.discordapp.com
      - chunk.io
      - ddns.net
      - dl.dropboxusercontent.com
      - ghostbin.co
      - github.com
      - glitch.me
      - gofile.io
      - hastebin.com
      - mediafire.com
      - mega.co.nz
      - mega.nz
      - onrender.com
      - pages.dev
      - paste.ee
      - pastebin.com
      - pastebin.pl
      - pastetext.net
      - portmap.io
      - privatlab.com
      - privatlab.net
      - send.exploit.in
      - sendspace.com
      - storage.googleapis.com
      - storjshare.io
      - supabase.co
      - temp.sh
      - transfer.sh
      - trycloudflare.com
      - ufile.io
      - w3spaces.com
      - workers.dev
      - x0.at
  condition: selection and not 1 of filter_main_*
falsepositives:
  - Unknown
level: high
license: DRL-1.1