Windows Process Creation: Command Line Targets Microsoft Teams Cookies or LevelDB

Alerts when non-Teams processes reference Microsoft Teams Cookies or Local Storage leveldb paths in their command line.

FreeReviewedSigma · Medium · v1

Product: windows
Category: process_creation
Author: @SerkinValery (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published: 2022-09-16
Updated: 2026-07-30

ATT&CK techniques

Cred Access

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
- T1528Steal Application Access Token
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule flags Windows process creation events where the command line contains paths to Microsoft Teams Cookies or the Local Storage leveldb directory. Accessing these locations can indicate credential or session token harvesting from Teams, which may expose authentication-related data for logged-in accounts. The detection relies on process creation telemetry and command-line/path substring matching, excluding events originating from the Teams executable.

Reporting behind it

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Possible VMware Workspace ONE SSRF via instanceHealth hostName At-Injection (via webserver)

Suspicious Entra Device Code Authentication with Office Client and Automated User Agent

Suspicious Access to Kubernetes Service Account Token via Curl or Wget (via process_creation)

Windows Process Creation: Command Line Targets Microsoft Teams Cookies or LevelDB

Pivot detection · T1528 · 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-process-creation-command-line-targets-microsoft-teams-cookies-or-leveldb-d2eb17db

title: "Windows Process Creation: Command Line Targets Microsoft Teams Cookies or LevelDB"
id: c80818ba-d84e-40fe-a817-212921f2a3d2
status: test
description: This rule flags Windows process creation events where the command line contains paths to Microsoft Teams Cookies or the Local Storage leveldb directory. Accessing these locations can indicate credential or session token harvesting from Teams, which may expose authentication-related data for logged-in accounts. The detection relies on process creation telemetry and command-line/path substring matching, excluding events originating from the Teams executable.
references:
  - https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/microsoft-teams-stores-auth-tokens-as-cleartext-in-windows-linux-macs/
  - https://www.vectra.ai/blogpost/undermining-microsoft-teams-security-by-mining-tokens
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_teams_suspicious_command_line_cred_access.yml
author: "@SerkinValery, Huntrule Team"
date: 2022-09-16
modified: 2023-12-18
tags:
  - attack.credential-access
  - attack.t1528
logsource:
  product: windows
  category: process_creation
detection:
  selection:
    CommandLine|contains:
      - \Microsoft\Teams\Cookies
      - \Microsoft\Teams\Local Storage\leveldb
  filter_main_legit_locations:
    Image|endswith: \Microsoft\Teams\current\Teams.exe
  condition: selection and not 1 of filter_main_*
falsepositives:
  - Unknown
level: medium
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: d2eb17db-1d39-41dc-b57f-301f6512fa75
    type: derived

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