Windows PowerShell Uninstall-WindowsFeature/Remove-WindowsFeature Removing Windows-Defender GUI

Detects PowerShell uninstall/removal commands targeting the Windows-Defender GUI feature.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v1

Product: windows
Category: process_creation
Author: yxinmiracle (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published: 2025-08-22
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 flags PowerShell execution of Uninstall-WindowsFeature or Remove-WindowsFeature when the command line includes Windows-Defender, indicating an attempt to disable or remove the Windows Defender GUI feature. Attackers may use this defense-impairment behavior to reduce user-visible security controls. Telemetry relies on process creation events capturing the PowerShell image name and the full command line arguments.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1685 — drag to rearrange

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Suspicious ThrottleStop Driver Abuse for Defense Evasion in Ransomware Attacks

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Suspicious Security Software Uninstallation via WMIC Product Call Uninstall (Chaos Ransomware)

Suspicious Security Product Uninstall via wmic product call uninstall

Windows PowerShell Uninstall-WindowsFeature/Remove-WindowsFeature Removing Windows-Defender GUI

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-uninstall-windowsfeature-remove-windowsfeature-removing-windo-c443012c

title: Windows PowerShell Uninstall-WindowsFeature/Remove-WindowsFeature Removing Windows-Defender GUI
id: 631d6e0a-1c94-4652-9cba-c3ab457d5896
status: experimental
description: This rule flags PowerShell execution of Uninstall-WindowsFeature or Remove-WindowsFeature when the command line includes Windows-Defender, indicating an attempt to disable or remove the Windows Defender GUI feature. Attackers may use this defense-impairment behavior to reduce user-visible security controls. Telemetry relies on process creation events capturing the PowerShell image name and the full command line arguments.
references:
  - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.windows.servermanager.migration/uninstall-windowsfeature
  - https://thedfirreport.com/2023/04/03/malicious-iso-file-leads-to-domain-wide-ransomware
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_powershell_uninstall_defender_feature.yml
author: yxinmiracle, Huntrule Team
date: 2025-08-22
tags:
  - attack.defense-impairment
  - attack.t1685
logsource:
  category: process_creation
  product: windows
detection:
  selection_img:
    - Image|endswith:
        - \powershell_ise.exe
        - \powershell.exe
        - \pwsh.exe
    - OriginalFileName:
        - PowerShell_ISE.EXE
        - PowerShell.EXE
        - pwsh.dll
  selection_cli_uninstall:
    CommandLine|contains:
      - Uninstall-WindowsFeature
      - Remove-WindowsFeature
  selection_cli_defender_feature:
    CommandLine|contains: Windows-Defender
  condition: all of selection_*
falsepositives:
  - Unknown
level: high
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: c443012c-7928-43bf-ac20-7eda5efe61ad
    type: derived

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