Windows Recent Files Shortcut Points to ISO/IMG/VHD Mount Images
Flags Windows Recent Items entries that reference ISO/IMG/VHD/VHDX mount shortcuts.
- Product
- windows
- Category
- file_event
- Author
- Florian Roth (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
- Published
- 2022-02-11
- Updated
- 2026-07-31
ATT&CK techniques
Initial AccessRecon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact
What it detects
Identifies Windows file events where a Recent folder shortcut target ends with .iso.lnk, .img.lnk, .vhd.lnk, or .vhdx.lnk. This pattern can indicate that an ISO/IMG/VHD container is being referenced through Recent files, a technique attackers may use during phishing or initial access. The rule relies on telemetry that captures the created file name/path for shortcuts under \\Microsoft\\Windows\\Recent\\.
Reporting behind it
- microsoft.comhttps://www.microsoft.com/security/blog/2021/05/27/new-sophisticated-email-based-attack-from-nobelium/
- trendmicro.comhttps://www.trendmicro.com/vinfo/us/security/news/cybercrime-and-digital-threats/malicious-spam-campaign-uses-iso-image-files-to-deliver-lokibot-and-nanocore
- blog.emsisoft.comhttps://blog.emsisoft.com/en/32373/beware-new-wave-of-malware-spreads-via-iso-file-email-attachments/
- insights.sei.cmu.eduhttps://insights.sei.cmu.edu/blog/the-dangers-of-vhd-and-vhdx-files/
- github.comhttps://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/file/file_event/file_event_win_iso_file_recent.yml
Changelog
v2- v2Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
- v1No 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.
title: Windows Recent Files Shortcut Points to ISO/IMG/VHD Mount Images
id: 94401ccb-501c-435d-8788-eab4e642214f
status: test
description: Identifies Windows file events where a Recent folder shortcut target ends with .iso.lnk, .img.lnk, .vhd.lnk, or .vhdx.lnk. This pattern can indicate that an ISO/IMG/VHD container is being referenced through Recent files, a technique attackers may use during phishing or initial access. The rule relies on telemetry that captures the created file name/path for shortcuts under \\Microsoft\\Windows\\Recent\\.
references:
- https://www.microsoft.com/security/blog/2021/05/27/new-sophisticated-email-based-attack-from-nobelium/
- https://www.trendmicro.com/vinfo/us/security/news/cybercrime-and-digital-threats/malicious-spam-campaign-uses-iso-image-files-to-deliver-lokibot-and-nanocore
- https://blog.emsisoft.com/en/32373/beware-new-wave-of-malware-spreads-via-iso-file-email-attachments/
- https://insights.sei.cmu.edu/blog/the-dangers-of-vhd-and-vhdx-files/
- https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/file/file_event/file_event_win_iso_file_recent.yml
author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2022-02-11
tags:
- attack.initial-access
- attack.t1566.001
logsource:
product: windows
category: file_event
detection:
selection:
TargetFilename|endswith:
- .iso.lnk
- .img.lnk
- .vhd.lnk
- .vhdx.lnk
TargetFilename|contains: \Microsoft\Windows\Recent\
condition: selection
falsepositives:
- Cases in which a user mounts an image file for legitimate reasons
level: medium
license: DRL-1.1
related:
- id: 4358e5a5-7542-4dcb-b9f3-87667371839b
type: derived