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Windows schtasks Delete All Scheduled Tasks via /tn * /delete /f

Flags schtasks.exe commands that forcibly delete all scheduled tasks on the local host using /delete /tn * /f.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v1
Product
windows
Category
process_creation
Author
Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2022-09-09
Updated
2026-07-30
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

Impact

  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 executions of schtasks.exe that use the delete operation against all scheduled tasks on the local computer by specifying /tn * along with /delete and /f. Attackers may use this to disrupt persistence and scheduled execution by removing tasks created by other users. It relies on Windows process creation telemetry capturing the executable path and full command-line arguments.

Reporting behind it

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Windows schtasks Delete All Scheduled Tasks via /tn * /delete /f
Pivot detection · T1489 · 9 related

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