Windows Security Audit: Scheduled Task Deleted or Disabled (Important Task Names)

Alerts on deletion or disabling of important Windows scheduled tasks based on Security audit events 4699 and 4701.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v2

Product: windows
Service: security
Author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published: 2022-12-05
Updated: 2026-07-31

ATT&CK techniques

Execution → Priv Esc

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
- T1053.005Scheduled Task
Persistence
- T1053.005Scheduled Task
Priv Esc
- T1053.005Scheduled Task
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule flags Windows Security events where a scheduled task is deleted or disabled, but only when the task name matches common high-impact Windows task paths. Attackers may use task removal or deactivation to hinder recovery, evade persistence checks, or stop security and backup-related activity. The detection relies on Windows Security auditing events 4699 (task deleted) and 4701 (task disabled) and filters out likely false positives from certain Defender upgrade scenarios. It also recommends using the event’s embedded XML command content for additional context.

Reporting behind it

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Malicious Scheduled Task Masquerading as GoogleUpdate Launching SSH Reverse Shell

Malicious Scheduled Task Creation TaskSystem via Interlock Ransomware

Malicious Scheduled Task Masquerading as Edge Update Running From Temp (via process_creation)

Suspicious Scheduled Task Created From XML Definition (via process_creation)

Windows Security Audit: Scheduled Task Deleted or Disabled (Important Task Names)

Pivot detection · T1053.005 · 9 related

Changelog

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-security-event-scheduled-task-deleted-or-disabled-important-task-names-7595ba94

title: "Windows Security Audit: Scheduled Task Deleted or Disabled (Important Task Names)"
id: 82259097-2340-414b-9231-8df1a64622b1
related:
  - id: dbc1f800-0fe0-4bc0-9c66-292c2abe3f78
    type: similar
  - id: 9ac94dc8-9042-493c-ba45-3b5e7c86b980
    type: similar
  - id: 9e3cb244-bdb8-4632-8c90-6079c8f4f16d
    type: similar
  - id: 7595ba94-cf3b-4471-aa03-4f6baa9e5fad
    type: derived
status: test
description: This rule flags Windows Security events where a scheduled task is deleted or disabled, but only when the task name matches common high-impact Windows task paths. Attackers may use task removal or deactivation to hinder recovery, evade persistence checks, or stop security and backup-related activity. The detection relies on Windows Security auditing events 4699 (task deleted) and 4701 (task disabled) and filters out likely false positives from certain Defender upgrade scenarios. It also recommends using the event’s embedded XML command content for additional context.
references:
  - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/it-pro/windows-10/security/threat-protection/auditing/event-4699
  - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/it-pro/windows-10/security/threat-protection/auditing/event-4701
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/builtin/security/win_security_susp_scheduled_task_delete_or_disable.yml
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2022-12-05
modified: 2023-03-13
tags:
  - attack.execution
  - attack.privilege-escalation
  - attack.persistence
  - attack.t1053.005
logsource:
  product: windows
  service: security
  definition: The Advanced Audit Policy setting Object Access > Audit Other Object Access Events has to be configured to allow this detection. We also recommend extracting the Command field from the embedded XML in the event data.
detection:
  selection:
    EventID:
      - 4699
      - 4701
    TaskName|contains:
      - \Windows\SystemRestore\SR
      - \Windows\Windows Defender\
      - \Windows\BitLocker
      - \Windows\WindowsBackup\
      - \Windows\WindowsUpdate\
      - \Windows\UpdateOrchestrator\Schedule
      - \Windows\ExploitGuard
  filter_main_defender_update:
    EventID: 4699
    SubjectUserName|endswith: $
    TaskName|contains: \Windows\Windows Defender\
  condition: selection and not 1 of filter_main_*
falsepositives:
  - Unknown
level: high
regression_tests_path: regression_data/rules/windows/builtin/security/win_security_susp_scheduled_task_delete_or_disable/info.yml
simulation:
  - type: atomic-red-team
    name: Windows - Disable the SR scheduled task
    technique: T1490
    atomic_guid: 1c68c68d-83a4-4981-974e-8993055fa034
license: DRL-1.1

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