Windows process creation: suspicious ping wait followed by del file deletion

ATT&CK techniques

Defense Evasion

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
- T1070.004File Deletion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule identifies Windows command lines that combine a ping with a short delay and a subsequent del operation to remove a targeted file. The behavior matters because attackers may use command chaining to delete artifacts related to initial execution or staging while delaying actions. It relies on process creation telemetry, specifically command-line content containing both ping and del along with common ping and deletion parameters.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1070.004 — drag to rearrange

Suspicious Crontab Removal via Command Line (via process_creation)

Suspicious Self-Deletion via Ping Loopback and Del (via process_creation)

Malicious Self-Deletion Via Fsutil SetZeroData

Self-Deletion via Ping Loopback Delay and Del Command

Suspicious Deletion of Explorer RunMRU Values

Suspicious PowerShell Self-Delete Of Executable via Process Creation

Suspicious Prefetch Deletion for Anti-Forensics

Malicious Ransomware Self-Deletion via Ping Loopback and Del

Suspicious Self-Deletion Batch Artifact by JadeProx TriBack Loader (via file_event)

Windows process creation: suspicious ping wait followed by del file deletion

Pivot detection · T1070.004 · 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-process-creation-ping-delay-followed-by-del-file-deletion-54786ddc

title: "Windows process creation: suspicious ping wait followed by del file deletion"
id: 10afd42e-4d6f-4e92-b482-ea584055900c
status: test
description: This rule identifies Windows command lines that combine a ping with a short delay and a subsequent del operation to remove a targeted file. The behavior matters because attackers may use command chaining to delete artifacts related to initial execution or staging while delaying actions. It relies on process creation telemetry, specifically command-line content containing both ping and del along with common ping and deletion parameters.
references:
  - https://blog.sygnia.co/kaseya-ransomware-supply-chain-attack
  - https://media.kasperskycontenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/43/2022/06/23093553/Common-TTPs-of-the-modern-ransomware_low-res.pdf
  - https://www.acronis.com/en-us/blog/posts/lockbit-ransomware/
  - https://symantec-enterprise-blogs.security.com/blogs/threat-intelligence/blackbyte-exbyte-ransomware
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_cmd_ping_del_combined_execution.yml
author: Ilya Krestinichev, Huntrule Team
date: 2022-11-03
modified: 2024-03-05
tags:
  - attack.stealth
  - attack.t1070.004
logsource:
  category: process_creation
  product: windows
detection:
  selection_count:
    CommandLine|contains|windash: " -n "
  selection_nul:
    CommandLine|contains: Nul
  selection_del_param:
    CommandLine|contains|windash:
      - " -f "
      - " -q "
  selection_all:
    CommandLine|contains|all:
      - ping
      - "del "
  condition: all of selection_*
falsepositives:
  - Unknown
level: high
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: 54786ddc-5b8a-11ed-9b6a-0242ac120002
    type: derived

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