Windows Terminal Profile Settings Change By Unusual Process (via file_event)

title: Windows Terminal Profile Settings Change By Unusual Process (via file_event)
id: 60227bd8-40e5-5e7c-aa57-2afb399a9cd9
status: stable
description: This rule detects the creation or modification of the Windows Terminal Profile settings file "settings.json" by an uncommon process.
references:
    - https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1547/015/
    - https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/74438b0237d141ee9c99747976447dc884cb1a39/atomics/T1547.015/T1547.015.md#atomic-test-1---persistence-by-modifying-windows-terminal-profile
    - https://twitter.com/nas_bench/status/1550836225652686848
author: Huntrule Team
date: 2026-02-12
tags:
    - attack.privilege-escalation
    - attack.persistence
    - attack.t1547.015
logsource:
    product: windows
    category: file_event
detection:
    selection:
        Image|endswith:
            - '\cmd.exe'
            - '\cscript.exe'
            - '\mshta.exe'
            - '\powershell.exe'
            - '\pwsh.exe'
            - '\wscript.exe'
        TargetFilename|endswith: '\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.WindowsTerminal_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\settings.json'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: medium