Detection rules › Sigma
Scheduled Task Creation Via Schtasks.EXE
Detects the creation of scheduled tasks by user accounts via the "schtasks" utility.
Known false positives
- Administrative activity
- Software installation
MITRE ATT&CK coverage
| Tactic | Techniques |
|---|---|
| Execution | |
| Persistence | |
| Privilege Escalation |
Telemetry coverage
| Provider | Record / event type |
|---|---|
| Sysmon | Event ID 1: Process creation |
| Security-Auditing | Event ID 4688: A new process has been created. |
Rule body
title: Scheduled Task Creation Via Schtasks.EXE
id: 92626ddd-662c-49e3-ac59-f6535f12d189
status: test
description: Detects the creation of scheduled tasks by user accounts via the "schtasks" utility.
references:
- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/schtasks-create
author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems)
date: 2019-01-16
modified: 2025-10-22
tags:
- attack.execution
- attack.persistence
- attack.privilege-escalation
- attack.t1053.005
- attack.s0111
- car.2013-08-001
- stp.1u
logsource:
category: process_creation
product: windows
detection:
selection:
Image|endswith: '\schtasks.exe'
CommandLine|contains: ' /create '
filter_main_system_user:
User|contains: # covers many language settings
- 'AUTHORI'
- 'AUTORI'
filter_optional_msoffice:
# schtasks.exe /Create /tn "Microsoft\Office\Office Performance Monitor" /XML "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\ClickToRun\{9AC08E99-230B-47e8-9721-4577B7F124EA}\Microsoft_Office_Office Performance Monitor.xml"
ParentImage:
- 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\integration\integrator.exe'
- 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\integration\integrator.exe'
Image:
- 'C:\Windows\System32\schtasks.exe'
- 'C:\Windows\SysWOW64\schtasks.exe'
CommandLine|contains: 'Microsoft\Office\Office Performance Monitor'
condition: selection and not 1 of filter_main_* and not 1 of filter_optional_*
falsepositives:
- Administrative activity
- Software installation
level: low
Stages and Predicates
Stage 0: condition
selection and not 1 of filter_main_* and not 1 of filter_optional_*Stage 1: selection
selection:
Image|endswith: '\schtasks.exe'
CommandLine|contains: ' /create '
Stage 2: not filter_main_system_user
filter_main_system_user:
User|contains:
- 'AUTHORI'
- 'AUTORI'
Stage 3: not filter_optional_msoffice
filter_optional_msoffice:
ParentImage:
- 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\integration\integrator.exe'
- 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\integration\integrator.exe'
Image:
- 'C:\Windows\System32\schtasks.exe'
- 'C:\Windows\SysWOW64\schtasks.exe'
CommandLine|contains: 'Microsoft\Office\Office Performance Monitor'
Exclusions
The rule actively suppresses these predicates.
| Field | Kind | Excluded values | Search |
|---|---|---|---|
User | match | AUTHORI | excludes:User field:"User" value:"AUTHORI" |
User | match | AUTORI | excludes:User field:"User" value:"AUTORI" |
Image | eq | C:\Windows\SysWOW64\schtasks.exe | excludes:Image field:"Image" value:"C:\Windows\SysWOW64\schtasks.exe" |
Image | eq | C:\Windows\System32\schtasks.exe | excludes:Image field:"Image" value:"C:\Windows\System32\schtasks.exe" |
ParentImage | eq | C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\integration\integrator.exe | excludes:ParentImage field:"ParentImage" value:"C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\integration\integrator.exe" |
ParentImage | eq | C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\integration\integrator.exe | excludes:ParentImage field:"ParentImage" value:"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\integration\integrator.exe" |
CommandLine | match | Microsoft\Office\Office Performance Monitor | excludes:CommandLine field:"CommandLine" value:"Microsoft\Office\Office Performance Monitor" |
Indicators
These rows show field, operator, and value matches.
| Field | Kind | Values | Search |
|---|---|---|---|
CommandLine | match |
| field:"CommandLine" kind:match value:" /create " |
Image | ends_with |
| field:"Image" kind:ends_with value:"\schtasks.exe" |