huntrule

Windows windefend: Detect Tamper Protection blocks changes to Microsoft Defender settings

Flags Defender tamper protection blocks to disable key Microsoft Defender Antivirus and real-time protection settings.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v2
Product
windows
Service
windefend
Author
Bhabesh Raj, Nasreddine Bencherchali (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2021-07-05
Updated
2026-07-31
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

  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 blocked attempts to change Microsoft Defender Antivirus/Real-Time Protection settings when Tamper Protection prevents the modification. Attackers may try to weaken defenses by disabling features such as realtime monitoring, behavior monitoring, or archive/network scanning, making this alert important for defense-impairment attempts. It relies on windefend telemetry for Event ID 5013 and matches the blocked setting paths corresponding to the targeted configuration changes.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1685 — drag to rearrange
Suspicious Windows Defender Exclusion of User Profile via PowerShell (via process_creation)
Malicious Vulnerable Driver Service Creation for BYOVD (via process_creation)
Malicious Microsoft Defender Disabled via Registry DisableAntiSpyware (via process_creation)
Suspicious Termination of Defender Tray Process via Taskkill
Malicious Windows Defender Disablement via MpCmdRun RemoveDefinitions
Malicious Unsigned VIB Installation on ESXi Host via esxcli (via process_creation)
Suspicious In-Memory PowerShell Execution from Web Server via Automation Assembly (via image_load)
Malicious EDR Evasion Driver Load from AnyDesk Directory via k.sys (via image_load)
Malicious Zemana Vulnerable Driver Load for EDR Termination (via image_load)
Windows windefend: Detect Tamper Protection blocks changes to Microsoft Defender settings
Pivot detection · T1685 · 9 related

Changelog

v2
  1. v2
    Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
  2. 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.