Windows process execution via stordiag.exe launching schtasks.exe, systeminfo.exe, or fltmc.exe

Detects stordiag.exe spawning schtasks.exe, systeminfo.exe, or fltmc.exe to support system discovery or config actions on Windows.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v1

Product: windows
Category: process_creation
Author: Austin Songer (@austinsonger) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published: 2021-10-21
Updated: 2026-07-30

Analysis Detection

ATT&CK techniques

Defense Evasion

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
- T1218System Binary Proxy Execution
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule flags process creation where stordiag.exe is the parent process and it spawns schtasks.exe, systeminfo.exe, or fltmc.exe. Such chaining is relevant because stordiag.exe can be abused to execute other system discovery or configuration-related utilities under a less expected parent. The detection relies on Windows process creation telemetry capturing the parent image path and the spawned image path, with a filter excluding executions originating from the standard system directories.

Reporting behind it

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Windows process execution via stordiag.exe launching schtasks.exe, systeminfo.exe, or fltmc.exe

Pivot detection · T1218 · 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-execution-via-stordiag-exe-launching-schtasks-exe-systeminfo-exe-961e0abb

title: Windows process execution via stordiag.exe launching schtasks.exe, systeminfo.exe, or fltmc.exe
id: de1f547d-3474-41ce-9abf-cc3928c0cac6
status: test
description: This rule flags process creation where stordiag.exe is the parent process and it spawns schtasks.exe, systeminfo.exe, or fltmc.exe. Such chaining is relevant because stordiag.exe can be abused to execute other system discovery or configuration-related utilities under a less expected parent. The detection relies on Windows process creation telemetry capturing the parent image path and the spawned image path, with a filter excluding executions originating from the standard system directories.
references:
  - https://strontic.github.io/xcyclopedia/library/stordiag.exe-1F08FC87C373673944F6A7E8B18CD845.html
  - https://twitter.com/eral4m/status/1451112385041911809
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_stordiag_susp_child_process.yml
author: Austin Songer (@austinsonger), Huntrule Team
date: 2021-10-21
modified: 2022-12-25
tags:
  - attack.stealth
  - attack.t1218
logsource:
  category: process_creation
  product: windows
detection:
  selection:
    ParentImage|endswith: \stordiag.exe
    Image|endswith:
      - \schtasks.exe
      - \systeminfo.exe
      - \fltmc.exe
  filter:
    ParentImage|startswith:
      - c:\windows\system32\
      - c:\windows\syswow64\
  condition: selection and not filter
falsepositives:
  - Legitimate usage of stordiag.exe.
level: high
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: 961e0abb-1b1e-4c84-a453-aafe56ad0d34
    type: derived

Convert

This rule as a query you can run. Uses no unlock credit.

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