huntrule

Windows Scheduled Task Creation via schtasks with Suspicious Command-Line Patterns

Flags schtasks.exe /Create commands containing suspicious interpreter, encoding, hidden execution, or unusual path/script components.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v1
Product
windows
Category
process_creation
Author
Florian Roth (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2022-02-23
Updated
2026-07-30
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

Execution → Priv Esc

  1. Recon

  2. Resource Dev

  3. Initial Access

  4. Execution

  5. Persistence

  6. Priv Esc

  7. Defense Evasion

  8. Cred Access

  9. Discovery

  10. Lateral Movement

  11. Collection

  12. C2

  13. Exfiltration

  14. Impact

What it detects

This rule identifies Windows process executions of schtasks.exe used to create new scheduled tasks with command lines containing suspicious or uncommon execution patterns. Attackers commonly leverage scheduled tasks for persistence or to run additional commands, often by chaining interpreters (cmd/cmd.exe) or command execution frameworks and using hidden or encoded payload delivery indicators. The detection relies on Windows process creation telemetry, matching on the process image ending with \schtasks.exe and specific substrings within the CommandLine field.

Reporting behind it

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Windows Scheduled Task Creation via schtasks with Suspicious Command-Line Patterns
Pivot detection · T1053.005 · 9 related

Detection content is published as a reviewed draft. Tune thresholds and exclusions against your own telemetry before enabling this rule for alerting.