Windows: Taskkill used to terminate ccSvcHst.exe (Symantec Endpoint Protection service impairment)

title: "Windows: Taskkill used to terminate ccSvcHst.exe (Symantec Endpoint Protection service impairment)"
id: 77461e33-1930-4b32-9760-ef5f1124d618
status: test
description: This rule matches process creation command lines that include taskkill with flags to forcefully terminate ccSvcHst.exe. Terminating this Symantec Endpoint Protection-related process can impair defensive protections and is consistent with attacker attempts to disable security software. Telemetry required is Windows process creation events with the full command line.
references:
  - https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/37525
  - https://community.spiceworks.com/topic/2195015-batch-script-to-uninstall-symantec-endpoint-protection
  - https://community.broadcom.com/symantecenterprise/communities/community-home/digestviewer/viewthread?MessageKey=6ce94b67-74e1-4333-b16f-000b7fd874f0&CommunityKey=1ecf5f55-9545-44d6-b0f4-4e4a7f5f5e68&tab=digestviewer
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_taskkill_sep.yml
author: Ilya Krestinichev, Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2022-09-13
tags:
  - attack.defense-impairment
  - attack.t1685
logsource:
  category: process_creation
  product: windows
detection:
  selection:
    CommandLine|contains|all:
      - taskkill
      - " /F "
      - " /IM "
      - ccSvcHst.exe
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Unknown
level: high
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: 4a6713f6-3331-11ed-a261-0242ac120002
    type: derived