Windows PowerShell Console History File Deleted (PSReadLine)

ATT&CK techniques

Defense Evasion

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
- T1070Indicator Removal
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule identifies deletion of the PowerShell PSReadLine console history file named ConsoleHost_history.txt on Windows. Attackers may remove this artifact to hinder recovery of previously executed commands and reduce forensic visibility. Detection relies on file deletion telemetry that reports when a specific target filename is removed.

Reporting behind it

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Windows PowerShell Console History File Deleted (PSReadLine)

Pivot detection · T1070 · 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-powershell-console-history-file-deleted-psreadline-consolehost-history-t-ff301988

title: Windows PowerShell Console History File Deleted (PSReadLine)
id: e6d3a475-087b-4944-b4c1-ad91f6c37b9b
status: test
description: This rule identifies deletion of the PowerShell PSReadLine console history file named ConsoleHost_history.txt on Windows. Attackers may remove this artifact to hinder recovery of previously executed commands and reduce forensic visibility. Detection relies on file deletion telemetry that reports when a specific target filename is removed.
references:
  - Internal Research
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/file/file_delete/file_delete_win_delete_powershell_command_history.yml
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2023-02-15
tags:
  - attack.stealth
  - attack.t1070
logsource:
  category: file_delete
  product: windows
detection:
  selection:
    TargetFilename|endswith: \PSReadLine\ConsoleHost_history.txt
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Unknown
level: medium
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: ff301988-c231-4bd0-834c-ac9d73b86586
    type: derived

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