Windows PowerShell Disables Windows Firewall Profiles via Set-NetFirewallProfile

Flags PowerShell commands attempting to turn off Windows Firewall profiles using Set-NetFirewallProfile.

FreeReviewedSigma · Medium · v1

Product: windows
Category: process_creation
Author: Tim Rauch, Elastic (idea) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published: 2022-09-14
Updated: 2026-07-30

ATT&CK techniques

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

What it detects

This rule identifies PowerShell executions that disable Windows Firewall by running Set-NetFirewallProfile with Enabled set to False for one or more firewall profiles (All/Public/Domain/Private). Attackers often impair endpoint defenses to enable subsequent access or persistence while reducing detection and blocking. The detection relies on Windows process creation telemetry, matching PowerShell binaries and their command-line arguments.

Reporting behind it

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Windows PowerShell Disables Windows Firewall Profiles via Set-NetFirewallProfile

Pivot detection · T1685 · 9 related

Detection content is published as a reviewed draft. Tune thresholds and exclusions against your own telemetry before enabling this rule for alerting.

windows-powershell-disables-windows-firewall-profiles-via-set-netfirewallprofile-12f6b752

title: Windows PowerShell Disables Windows Firewall Profiles via Set-NetFirewallProfile
id: 9d2f80f1-a222-413e-8f87-a772f0d661c2
related:
  - id: 488b44e7-3781-4a71-888d-c95abfacf44d
    type: similar
  - id: 12f6b752-042d-483e-bf9c-915a6d06ad75
    type: derived
status: test
description: This rule identifies PowerShell executions that disable Windows Firewall by running Set-NetFirewallProfile with Enabled set to False for one or more firewall profiles (All/Public/Domain/Private). Attackers often impair endpoint defenses to enable subsequent access or persistence while reducing detection and blocking. The detection relies on Windows process creation telemetry, matching PowerShell binaries and their command-line arguments.
references:
  - https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/security/current/windows-firewall-disabled-via-powershell.html
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_powershell_disable_firewall.yml
author: Tim Rauch, Elastic (idea), Huntrule Team
date: 2022-09-14
modified: 2023-02-13
tags:
  - attack.defense-impairment
  - attack.t1685
logsource:
  category: process_creation
  product: windows
detection:
  selection_name:
    - Image|endswith:
        - \powershell.exe
        - \pwsh.exe
        - \powershell_ise.exe
    - OriginalFileName:
        - PowerShell.EXE
        - pwsh.dll
  selection_args:
    CommandLine|contains|all:
      - "Set-NetFirewallProfile "
      - " -Enabled "
      - " False"
  selection_opt:
    CommandLine|contains:
      - " -All "
      - Public
      - Domain
      - Private
  condition: all of selection_*
falsepositives:
  - Unknown
level: medium
license: DRL-1.1

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