Powershell Defender Disable Scan Feature

Status: test
Severity: high
Log source: product windows, category process_creation
Author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems)
Source: github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma

Detects requests to disable Microsoft Defender features using PowerShell commands

MITRE ATT&CK coverage

Tactic	Techniques
Defense Impairment	`T1685` Disable or Modify Tools

Event coverage

Provider	Event	Title
Sysmon	Event ID 1	Process creation
Security-Auditing	Event ID 4688	A new process has been created.

Rule body yaml

title: Powershell Defender Disable Scan Feature
id: 1ec65a5f-9473-4f12-97da-622044d6df21
status: test
description: Detects requests to disable Microsoft Defender features using PowerShell commands
references:
    - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/defender/set-mppreference?view=windowsserver2022-ps
    - https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/d609799091731d83d75ec5d1f030571af20c45efeeb94840b67ea09a3283ab65/behavior/C2AE
    - https://www.virustotal.com/gui/search/content%253A%2522Set-MpPreference%2520-Disable%2522/files
author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems)
date: 2022-03-03
modified: 2024-01-02
tags:
    - attack.defense-impairment
    - attack.t1685
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection_cli_cmdlet:
        CommandLine|contains:
            - 'Add-MpPreference '
            - 'Set-MpPreference '
    selection_cli_option:
        CommandLine|contains:
            - 'DisableArchiveScanning '
            - 'DisableRealtimeMonitoring '
            - 'DisableIOAVProtection '
            - 'DisableBehaviorMonitoring '
            - 'DisableBlockAtFirstSeen '
            - 'DisableCatchupFullScan '
            - 'DisableCatchupQuickScan '
    selection_cli_value:
        CommandLine|contains:
            - '$true'
            - ' 1 '
    selection_encoded_modifier:
        CommandLine|base64offset|contains:
            # Note: Since this is calculating offsets casing is important
            - 'disablearchivescanning '
            - 'DisableArchiveScanning '
            - 'disablebehaviormonitoring '
            - 'DisableBehaviorMonitoring '
            - 'disableblockatfirstseen '
            - 'DisableBlockAtFirstSeen '
            - 'disablecatchupfullscan '
            - 'DisableCatchupFullScan '
            - 'disablecatchupquickscan '
            - 'DisableCatchupQuickScan '
            - 'disableioavprotection '
            - 'DisableIOAVProtection '
            - 'disablerealtimemonitoring '
            - 'DisableRealtimeMonitoring '
    selection_encoded_direct:
        CommandLine|contains:
            - 'RABpAHMAYQBiAGwAZQBSAGUAYQBsAHQAaQBtAGUATQBvAG4AaQB0AG8AcgBpAG4AZwAgA'
            - 'QAaQBzAGEAYgBsAGUAUgBlAGEAbAB0AGkAbQBlAE0AbwBuAGkAdABvAHIAaQBuAGcAIA'
            - 'EAGkAcwBhAGIAbABlAFIAZQBhAGwAdABpAG0AZQBNAG8AbgBpAHQAbwByAGkAbgBnACAA'
            - 'RABpAHMAYQBiAGwAZQBJAE8AQQBWAFAAcgBvAHQAZQBjAHQAaQBvAG4AIA'
            - 'QAaQBzAGEAYgBsAGUASQBPAEEAVgBQAHIAbwB0AGUAYwB0AGkAbwBuACAA'
            - 'EAGkAcwBhAGIAbABlAEkATwBBAFYAUAByAG8AdABlAGMAdABpAG8AbgAgA'
            - 'RABpAHMAYQBiAGwAZQBCAGUAaABhAHYAaQBvAHIATQBvAG4AaQB0AG8AcgBpAG4AZwAgA'
            - 'QAaQBzAGEAYgBsAGUAQgBlAGgAYQB2AGkAbwByAE0AbwBuAGkAdABvAHIAaQBuAGcAIA'
            - 'EAGkAcwBhAGIAbABlAEIAZQBoAGEAdgBpAG8AcgBNAG8AbgBpAHQAbwByAGkAbgBnACAA'
            - 'RABpAHMAYQBiAGwAZQBCAGwAbwBjAGsAQQB0AEYAaQByAHMAdABTAGUAZQBuACAA'
            - 'QAaQBzAGEAYgBsAGUAQgBsAG8AYwBrAEEAdABGAGkAcgBzAHQAUwBlAGUAbgAgA'
            - 'EAGkAcwBhAGIAbABlAEIAbABvAGMAawBBAHQARgBpAHIAcwB0AFMAZQBlAG4AIA'
            - 'ZABpAHMAYQBiAGwAZQByAGUAYQBsAHQAaQBtAGUAbQBvAG4AaQB0AG8AcgBpAG4AZwAgA'
            - 'QAaQBzAGEAYgBsAGUAcgBlAGEAbAB0AGkAbQBlAG0AbwBuAGkAdABvAHIAaQBuAGcAIA'
            - 'kAGkAcwBhAGIAbABlAHIAZQBhAGwAdABpAG0AZQBtAG8AbgBpAHQAbwByAGkAbgBnACAA'
            - 'ZABpAHMAYQBiAGwAZQBpAG8AYQB2AHAAcgBvAHQAZQBjAHQAaQBvAG4AIA'
            - 'QAaQBzAGEAYgBsAGUAaQBvAGEAdgBwAHIAbwB0AGUAYwB0AGkAbwBuACAA'
            - 'kAGkAcwBhAGIAbABlAGkAbwBhAHYAcAByAG8AdABlAGMAdABpAG8AbgAgA'
            - 'ZABpAHMAYQBiAGwAZQBiAGUAaABhAHYAaQBvAHIAbQBvAG4AaQB0AG8AcgBpAG4AZwAgA'
            - 'QAaQBzAGEAYgBsAGUAYgBlAGgAYQB2AGkAbwByAG0AbwBuAGkAdABvAHIAaQBuAGcAIA'
            - 'kAGkAcwBhAGIAbABlAGIAZQBoAGEAdgBpAG8AcgBtAG8AbgBpAHQAbwByAGkAbgBnACAA'
            - 'ZABpAHMAYQBiAGwAZQBiAGwAbwBjAGsAYQB0AGYAaQByAHMAdABzAGUAZQBuACAA'
            - 'QAaQBzAGEAYgBsAGUAYgBsAG8AYwBrAGEAdABmAGkAcgBzAHQAcwBlAGUAbgAgA'
            - 'kAGkAcwBhAGIAbABlAGIAbABvAGMAawBhAHQAZgBpAHIAcwB0AHMAZQBlAG4AIA'
            - 'RABpAHMAYQBiAGwAZQBDAGEAdABjAGgAdQBwAEYAdQBsAGwAUwBjAGEAbgA'
            - 'RABpAHMAYQBiAGwAZQBDAGEAdABjAGgAdQBwAFEAdQBpAGMAawBTAGMAYQBuAA'
            - 'RABpAHMAYQBiAGwAZQBBAHIAYwBoAGkAdgBlAFMAYwBhAG4AbgBpAG4AZwA'
    condition: all of selection_cli_* or 1 of selection_encoded_*
falsepositives:
    - Possible administrative activity
    - Other Cmdlets that may use the same parameters
level: high

Stages and Predicates

Stage 0: `condition`

all of selection_cli_* or 1 of selection_encoded_*

Stage 1: `selection_cli_cmdlet`

selection_cli_cmdlet:
    CommandLine|contains:
        - 'Add-MpPreference '
        - 'Set-MpPreference '

Stage 2: `selection_cli_option`

selection_cli_option:
    CommandLine|contains:
        - 'DisableArchiveScanning '
        - 'DisableRealtimeMonitoring '
        - 'DisableIOAVProtection '
        - 'DisableBehaviorMonitoring '
        - 'DisableBlockAtFirstSeen '
        - 'DisableCatchupFullScan '
        - 'DisableCatchupQuickScan '

Stage 3: `selection_cli_value`

selection_cli_value:
    CommandLine|contains:
        - '$true'
        - ' 1 '

Stage 4: `selection_encoded_modifier`

selection_encoded_modifier:
    CommandLine|base64offset|contains:
        - 'disablearchivescanning '
        - 'DisableArchiveScanning '
        - 'disablebehaviormonitoring '
        - 'DisableBehaviorMonitoring '
        - 'disableblockatfirstseen '
        - 'DisableBlockAtFirstSeen '
        - 'disablecatchupfullscan '
        - 'DisableCatchupFullScan '
        - 'disablecatchupquickscan '
        - 'DisableCatchupQuickScan '
        - 'disableioavprotection '
        - 'DisableIOAVProtection '
        - 'disablerealtimemonitoring '
        - 'DisableRealtimeMonitoring '

Stage 5: `selection_encoded_direct`

selection_encoded_direct:
    CommandLine|contains:
        - 'RABpAHMAYQBiAGwAZQBSAGUAYQBsAHQAaQBtAGUATQBvAG4AaQB0AG8AcgBpAG4AZwAgA'
        - 'QAaQBzAGEAYgBsAGUAUgBlAGEAbAB0AGkAbQBlAE0AbwBuAGkAdABvAHIAaQBuAGcAIA'
        - 'EAGkAcwBhAGIAbABlAFIAZQBhAGwAdABpAG0AZQBNAG8AbgBpAHQAbwByAGkAbgBnACAA'
        - 'RABpAHMAYQBiAGwAZQBJAE8AQQBWAFAAcgBvAHQAZQBjAHQAaQBvAG4AIA'
        - 'QAaQBzAGEAYgBsAGUASQBPAEEAVgBQAHIAbwB0AGUAYwB0AGkAbwBuACAA'
        - 'EAGkAcwBhAGIAbABlAEkATwBBAFYAUAByAG8AdABlAGMAdABpAG8AbgAgA'
        - 'RABpAHMAYQBiAGwAZQBCAGUAaABhAHYAaQBvAHIATQBvAG4AaQB0AG8AcgBpAG4AZwAgA'
        - 'QAaQBzAGEAYgBsAGUAQgBlAGgAYQB2AGkAbwByAE0AbwBuAGkAdABvAHIAaQBuAGcAIA'
        - 'EAGkAcwBhAGIAbABlAEIAZQBoAGEAdgBpAG8AcgBNAG8AbgBpAHQAbwByAGkAbgBnACAA'
        - 'RABpAHMAYQBiAGwAZQBCAGwAbwBjAGsAQQB0AEYAaQByAHMAdABTAGUAZQBuACAA'
        - 'QAaQBzAGEAYgBsAGUAQgBsAG8AYwBrAEEAdABGAGkAcgBzAHQAUwBlAGUAbgAgA'
        - 'EAGkAcwBhAGIAbABlAEIAbABvAGMAawBBAHQARgBpAHIAcwB0AFMAZQBlAG4AIA'
        - 'ZABpAHMAYQBiAGwAZQByAGUAYQBsAHQAaQBtAGUAbQBvAG4AaQB0AG8AcgBpAG4AZwAgA'
        - 'QAaQBzAGEAYgBsAGUAcgBlAGEAbAB0AGkAbQBlAG0AbwBuAGkAdABvAHIAaQBuAGcAIA'
        - 'kAGkAcwBhAGIAbABlAHIAZQBhAGwAdABpAG0AZQBtAG8AbgBpAHQAbwByAGkAbgBnACAA'
        - 'ZABpAHMAYQBiAGwAZQBpAG8AYQB2AHAAcgBvAHQAZQBjAHQAaQBvAG4AIA'
        - 'QAaQBzAGEAYgBsAGUAaQBvAGEAdgBwAHIAbwB0AGUAYwB0AGkAbwBuACAA'
        - 'kAGkAcwBhAGIAbABlAGkAbwBhAHYAcAByAG8AdABlAGMAdABpAG8AbgAgA'
        - 'ZABpAHMAYQBiAGwAZQBiAGUAaABhAHYAaQBvAHIAbQBvAG4AaQB0AG8AcgBpAG4AZwAgA'
        - 'QAaQBzAGEAYgBsAGUAYgBlAGgAYQB2AGkAbwByAG0AbwBuAGkAdABvAHIAaQBuAGcAIA'
        - 'kAGkAcwBhAGIAbABlAGIAZQBoAGEAdgBpAG8AcgBtAG8AbgBpAHQAbwByAGkAbgBnACAA'
        - 'ZABpAHMAYQBiAGwAZQBiAGwAbwBjAGsAYQB0AGYAaQByAHMAdABzAGUAZQBuACAA'
        - 'QAaQBzAGEAYgBsAGUAYgBsAG8AYwBrAGEAdABmAGkAcgBzAHQAcwBlAGUAbgAgA'
        - 'kAGkAcwBhAGIAbABlAGIAbABvAGMAawBhAHQAZgBpAHIAcwB0AHMAZQBlAG4AIA'
        - 'RABpAHMAYQBiAGwAZQBDAGEAdABjAGgAdQBwAEYAdQBsAGwAUwBjAGEAbgA'
        - 'RABpAHMAYQBiAGwAZQBDAGEAdABjAGgAdQBwAFEAdQBpAGMAawBTAGMAYQBuAA'
        - 'RABpAHMAYQBiAGwAZQBBAHIAYwBoAGkAdgBlAFMAYwBhAG4AbgBpAG4AZwA'

Indicators

Each row is a field, operator, and value that the rule matches. The corpus column counts how many other rules in the catalog look for the same combination: high numbers point to widely-used, community-vetted indicators. Blank or 1 shows that the indicator is specific to this rule.

Field	Kind	Values
`CommandLine`	match	`1` `$true` `Add-MpPreference` corpus 4 (sigma 3, splunk 1) `DisableArchiveScanning` `DisableBehaviorMonitoring` `DisableBlockAtFirstSeen` `DisableCatchupFullScan` `DisableCatchupQuickScan` `DisableIOAVProtection` `DisableRealtimeMonitoring` `EAGkAcwBhAGIAbABlAEIAZQBoAGEAdgBpAG8AcgBNAG8AbgBpAHQAbwByAGkAbgBnACAA` corpus 2 (sigma 1, elastic 1) `EAGkAcwBhAGIAbABlAEIAbABvAGMAawBBAHQARgBpAHIAcwB0AFMAZQBlAG4AIA` corpus 2 (sigma 1, elastic 1) `EAGkAcwBhAGIAbABlAEkATwBBAFYAUAByAG8AdABlAGMAdABpAG8AbgAgA` corpus 2 (sigma 1, elastic 1) `EAGkAcwBhAGIAbABlAFIAZQBhAGwAdABpAG0AZQBNAG8AbgBpAHQAbwByAGkAbgBnACAA` corpus 2 (sigma 1, elastic 1) `QAaQBzAGEAYgBsAGUAQgBlAGgAYQB2AGkAbwByAE0AbwBuAGkAdABvAHIAaQBuAGcAIA` corpus 2 (sigma 1, elastic 1) `QAaQBzAGEAYgBsAGUAQgBsAG8AYwBrAEEAdABGAGkAcgBzAHQAUwBlAGUAbgAgA` corpus 2 (sigma 1, elastic 1) `QAaQBzAGEAYgBsAGUASQBPAEEAVgBQAHIAbwB0AGUAYwB0AGkAbwBuACAA` corpus 2 (sigma 1, elastic 1) `QAaQBzAGEAYgBsAGUAUgBlAGEAbAB0AGkAbQBlAE0AbwBuAGkAdABvAHIAaQBuAGcAIA` corpus 2 (sigma 1, elastic 1) `QAaQBzAGEAYgBsAGUAYgBlAGgAYQB2AGkAbwByAG0AbwBuAGkAdABvAHIAaQBuAGcAIA` corpus 2 (sigma 1, elastic 1) `QAaQBzAGEAYgBsAGUAYgBsAG8AYwBrAGEAdABmAGkAcgBzAHQAcwBlAGUAbgAgA` corpus 2 (sigma 1, elastic 1) `QAaQBzAGEAYgBsAGUAaQBvAGEAdgBwAHIAbwB0AGUAYwB0AGkAbwBuACAA` corpus 2 (sigma 1, elastic 1) `QAaQBzAGEAYgBsAGUAcgBlAGEAbAB0AGkAbQBlAG0AbwBuAGkAdABvAHIAaQBuAGcAIA` corpus 2 (sigma 1, elastic 1) `RABpAHMAYQBiAGwAZQBBAHIAYwBoAGkAdgBlAFMAYwBhAG4AbgBpAG4AZwA` `RABpAHMAYQBiAGwAZQBCAGUAaABhAHYAaQBvAHIATQBvAG4AaQB0AG8AcgBpAG4AZwAgA` corpus 2 (sigma 1, elastic 1) `RABpAHMAYQBiAGwAZQBCAGwAbwBjAGsAQQB0AEYAaQByAHMAdABTAGUAZQBuACAA` corpus 2 (sigma 1, elastic 1) `RABpAHMAYQBiAGwAZQBDAGEAdABjAGgAdQBwAEYAdQBsAGwAUwBjAGEAbgA` `RABpAHMAYQBiAGwAZQBDAGEAdABjAGgAdQBwAFEAdQBpAGMAawBTAGMAYQBuAA` `RABpAHMAYQBiAGwAZQBJAE8AQQBWAFAAcgBvAHQAZQBjAHQAaQBvAG4AIA` corpus 2 (sigma 1, elastic 1) `RABpAHMAYQBiAGwAZQBSAGUAYQBsAHQAaQBtAGUATQBvAG4AaQB0AG8AcgBpAG4AZwAgA` corpus 2 (sigma 1, elastic 1) `Set-MpPreference` corpus 4 (sigma 3, splunk 1) `ZABpAHMAYQBiAGwAZQBiAGUAaABhAHYAaQBvAHIAbQBvAG4AaQB0AG8AcgBpAG4AZwAgA` corpus 2 (sigma 1, elastic 1) `ZABpAHMAYQBiAGwAZQBiAGwAbwBjAGsAYQB0AGYAaQByAHMAdABzAGUAZQBuACAA` corpus 2 (sigma 1, elastic 1) `ZABpAHMAYQBiAGwAZQBpAG8AYQB2AHAAcgBvAHQAZQBjAHQAaQBvAG4AIA` corpus 2 (sigma 1, elastic 1) `ZABpAHMAYQBiAGwAZQByAGUAYQBsAHQAaQBtAGUAbQBvAG4AaQB0AG8AcgBpAG4AZwAgA` corpus 2 (sigma 1, elastic 1) `disablearchivescanning` transforms: `base64offset` `disablebehaviormonitoring` transforms: `base64offset` `disableblockatfirstseen` transforms: `base64offset` `disablecatchupfullscan` transforms: `base64offset` `disablecatchupquickscan` transforms: `base64offset` `disableioavprotection` transforms: `base64offset` `disablerealtimemonitoring` transforms: `base64offset` `kAGkAcwBhAGIAbABlAGIAZQBoAGEAdgBpAG8AcgBtAG8AbgBpAHQAbwByAGkAbgBnACAA` corpus 2 (sigma 1, elastic 1) `kAGkAcwBhAGIAbABlAGIAbABvAGMAawBhAHQAZgBpAHIAcwB0AHMAZQBlAG4AIA` corpus 2 (sigma 1, elastic 1) `kAGkAcwBhAGIAbABlAGkAbwBhAHYAcAByAG8AdABlAGMAdABpAG8AbgAgA` corpus 2 (sigma 1, elastic 1) `kAGkAcwBhAGIAbABlAHIAZQBhAGwAdABpAG0AZQBtAG8AbgBpAHQAbwByAGkAbgBnACAA` corpus 2 (sigma 1, elastic 1)

`j` / `k`	Scroll down / up
`d` / `u`	Half-page down / up
`gg` / `G`	Top / bottom
`h` / `l`	History back / forward
`f`	Follow link (`Shift` = new tab)
`/`	Focus search
`?`	Toggle this help
`↑` / `↓`	Navigate search results
`Enter`	Open highlighted result
`Esc`	Close results / dialog

`type:`	`events` / `rules` / `providers`
`vendor:`	`sigma` / `elastic` / `splunk` / `kusto` / `chronicle` (vendor name alone also works: `sigma:`, `kql:`, `secops:`…)
`tactic:`	TA-id, slug, or name: `credential_access`, `TA0006`
`technique:`	technique or sub-technique ID: `T1003`, `T1003.001` (alias `tech:`)
`severity:`	`critical` / `high` / `medium` / `low` / `informational` (alias `sev:`)
`risk_score`	Numeric comparison on the Elastic risk score (0 to 100): `risk_score>50`, `risk_score<=20`, `risk_score=99` (alias `risk`; Elastic rules only)
`stages:`	Rules with exactly N pipeline stages
`correlation:`	`single_event` / `sequence` / `alternatives` / `alternatives_cross_log` / `all_required` / `correlated`
`with:`	Co-occurrence event-id; stacks (`with:4624 with:4769`) to require all, while a comma list in one occurrence (`with:4624,4769`) is an either-or group. Implies multi-event
`like:`	Structural neighbors of a rule slug (equivalents + subsumption stricter / broader): `like:comsvcs_lsass_memory_dump-splunk-sysmon`
`groupby:`	Entity-grouping substring match against `group_by_keys`: `groupby:user`, `groupby:host`
`uses:`	Rules whose predicate tree touches the field (any kind, any value): `uses:CommandLine`
`excludes:`	Rules with top-level `not()` clauses on the field (FP whitelists): `excludes:ParentImage`
`field:` / `value:`	Predicate search; narrows rule cards to those with a matching leaf and drives the indicator tier. Unquoted = substring, wildcards allowed (`value:mimikatz`)
`indicator:`	Shorthand for `field:F value:V`: `indicator:Image=*\powershell.exe`
`kind:`	Filter by predicate kind. Narrows rule cards to those carrying a matching predicate leaf (`vendor:elastic kind:cidr_match`) and drives the indicator tier: `contains` / `starts_with` / `ends_with` / `regex` / `cidr` / `eq` / `in` … (operator aliases `op:`/`match:`)
`has:` / `no:`	`sample`, `field`, `notes`, `refs`, `trace`, `thirdparty`, `rule`, `pattern`, `timewindow`, `threshold`, `newterms`, `sigma`/`elastic`/`splunk`/`kusto`/`chronicle`
`-op:val`	Exclude matches; works on most operators but not `type:`/`like:`/`has:`/`no:` (use `no:<flag>` to exclude a rule flag): `tactic:execution -vendor:splunk`. Standalone `-kind:`/`-field:`/`-value:` drop every rule carrying a matching predicate leaf (`type:rules -kind:is_null`)
`field:"…"` / `value:"…"`	Quoted value = anchored exact match (also allows spaces): `value:"net user"`
`a,b`	Comma = OR inside one operator (`vendor:sigma,elastic`, `severity:high,critical`); repeating a facet merges the same way. `field:`/`value:` never split (literal commas)
`vendors:` / `stage:`	Singular and plural spellings fold to the canonical operator and value: `tactics:` = `tactic:`, `type:event` = `type:events`, `correlation:sequences` = `correlation:sequence`, `has:thresholds` = `has:threshold`
`"quoted phrase"`	Exact-match a multi-word phrase (free text)

Powershell Defender Disable Scan Feature

MITRE ATT&CK coverage

Event coverage

Rule body yaml

Stages and Predicates

Stage 0: `condition`

Stage 1: `selection_cli_cmdlet`

Stage 2: `selection_cli_option`

Stage 3: `selection_cli_value`

Stage 4: `selection_encoded_modifier`

Stage 5: `selection_encoded_direct`

Indicators

Keyboard shortcuts

Search operators

Powershell Defender Disable Scan Feature

MITRE ATT&CK coverage

Event coverage

Rule body yaml

Stages and Predicates

Stage 0: condition

Stage 1: selection_cli_cmdlet

Stage 2: selection_cli_option

Stage 3: selection_cli_value

Stage 4: selection_encoded_modifier

Stage 5: selection_encoded_direct

Indicators

Stage 0: `condition`

Stage 1: `selection_cli_cmdlet`

Stage 2: `selection_cli_option`

Stage 3: `selection_cli_value`

Stage 4: `selection_encoded_modifier`

Stage 5: `selection_encoded_direct`