huntrule

Windows: winget.exe adds new download sources via 'source add'

Alerts on winget.exe usage to add new package download sources using 'source add'.

FreeReviewedSigma · Medium · v1
Product
windows
Category
process_creation
Author
Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2023-04-17
Updated
2026-07-30
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

Execution

  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 flags process creation where winget.exe is executed with command-line arguments containing both 'source ' and 'add ', indicating an attempt to register a new package download source. Attackers may use this to redirect package retrieval to attacker-controlled repositories or introduce untrusted sources. Telemetry relies on Windows process creation events including the executable name or original filename and the full command line.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1059 — drag to rearrange
Suspicious OneNote Spawning Command or Script Interpreter via Spear-Phishing (via process_creation)
Malicious Web Server Process Spawning Command Interpreter via Web Shell (via process_creation)
Suspicious VMware Guest Operation Output Staging in vmware-system Temp Directory (via file_event)
Malicious Command Shell Spawned by SQL Server via Process Creation (via process_creation)
Suspicious Script Interpreter Spawned by Excel via DarkGate Lure
Suspicious AutoHotkey Script Execution from User Writable Path by DarkGate
Malicious China Chopper Web Shell Command Pattern in IIS Worker Process (via process_creation)
Malicious AutoHotKey Runner AutoNotify Executing AHKBot Looper Script (via process_creation)
Malicious IIS Worker Process Spawning Command Shell after ASP.NET ViewState Injection (via process_creation)
Windows: winget.exe adds new download sources via 'source add'
Pivot detection · T1059 · 9 related

Detection content is published as a reviewed draft. Tune thresholds and exclusions against your own telemetry before enabling this rule for alerting.