Windows: Uncommon Process Access to Chromium User Data Cookies and History

Alerts on uncommon executables reading Chromium cookies/history/web data on Windows, excluding common system and installer paths.

FreeReviewedSigma · Low · v5

Product: windows
Category: file_access
Author: X__Junior (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published: 2024-07-29
Updated: 2026-07-31

Analysis Detection

ATT&CK techniques

Cred Access

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
- T1003OS Credential Dumping
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule flags file access events where an unusual process reads Chromium browser sensitive user data files, including Cookies, History, Network Cookies, and Web Data. Such access can indicate attempts to steal or recover sensitive browser artifacts used for credential and session information. The detection relies on Windows file access telemetry (Kernel File ETW) that includes the accessed file path and the initiating process image.

Reporting behind it

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Windows: Uncommon Process Access to Chromium User Data Cookies and History

Pivot detection · T1003 · 9 related

Changelog

v5
Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
v4
Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
v3
Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
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-uncommon-processes-access-chromium-browser-cookie-and-history-files-c5f37810

title: "Windows: Uncommon Process Access to Chromium User Data Cookies and History"
id: 57caa2f3-9fcf-410a-a66f-3707ca18e928
status: test
description: This rule flags file access events where an unusual process reads Chromium browser sensitive user data files, including Cookies, History, Network Cookies, and Web Data. Such access can indicate attempts to steal or recover sensitive browser artifacts used for credential and session information. The detection relies on Windows file access telemetry (Kernel File ETW) that includes the accessed file path and the initiating process image.
references:
  - Internal Research
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules-threat-hunting/windows/file/file_access/file_access_win_browsers_chromium_sensitive_files.yml
author: X__Junior (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2024-07-29
tags:
  - attack.t1003
  - attack.credential-access
  - detection.threat-hunting
logsource:
  category: file_access
  product: windows
  definition: "Requirements: Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-File ETW provider"
detection:
  selection:
    FileName|contains:
      - \User Data\Default\Cookies
      - \User Data\Default\History
      - \User Data\Default\Network\Cookies
      - \User Data\Default\Web Data
  filter_main_system:
    Image: System
  filter_main_generic:
    Image|startswith:
      - C:\Program Files (x86)\
      - C:\Program Files\
      - C:\Windows\system32\
      - C:\Windows\SysWOW64\
  filter_optional_defender:
    Image|startswith: C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows Defender\
    Image|endswith:
      - \MpCopyAccelerator.exe
      - \MsMpEng.exe
  condition: selection and not 1 of filter_main_* and not 1 of filter_optional_*
falsepositives:
  - Antivirus, Anti-Spyware, Anti-Malware Software
  - Backup software
  - Legitimate software installed on partitions other than "C:\"
  - Searching software such as "everything.exe"
level: low
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: c5f37810-a85f-4186-81e9-33f23abb4141
    type: derived

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