Important Scheduled Task Deleted or Disabled — Sigma Rule

Rule metadata and linked tags

Author: frack113. Source status: test; severity: high. Source dates: 2023-01-13 / 2026-03-11.

{
  "product": "windows",
  "service": "taskscheduler",
  "definition": "Requirements: The \"Microsoft-Windows-TaskScheduler/Operational\" is disabled by default and needs to be enabled in order for this detection to trigger"
}

Pinned original Sigma rule · Detection Rule License 1.1

Source SHA-256: f739a8c043b6de219bb4a0ce04fd350e1204fb1536955748e9b85b37aad585d5

Detection logic

Original source YAML. Source-tag agreement is not proof of complete semantic coverage. This rule has not been compiled for a SIEM backend or validated against live telemetry here.

title: Important Scheduled Task Deleted or Disabled
id: 9e3cb244-bdb8-4632-8c90-6079c8f4f16d
related:
    - id: dbc1f800-0fe0-4bc0-9c66-292c2abe3f78 # ProcCreation schtasks delete
      type: similar
    - id: 7595ba94-cf3b-4471-aa03-4f6baa9e5fad # Security-Audting Eventlog
      type: similar
    - id: 9ac94dc8-9042-493c-ba45-3b5e7c86b980 # ProcCreation schtasks disable
      type: similar
status: test
description: |
    Detects when adversaries try to stop system services or processes by deleting or disabling their respective scheduled tasks in order to conduct data destructive activities
references:
    - https://www.socinvestigation.com/most-common-windows-event-ids-to-hunt-mind-map/
author: frack113
date: 2023-01-13
modified: 2026-03-11
tags:
    - attack.impact
    - attack.t1489
logsource:
    product: windows
    service: taskscheduler
    definition: 'Requirements: The "Microsoft-Windows-TaskScheduler/Operational" is disabled by default and needs to be enabled in order for this detection to trigger'
detection:
    selection:
        EventID:
            - 141 # Task Deleted
            - 142 # Task Disabled
        TaskName|contains:
            - '\Windows\SystemRestore\SR'
            - '\Windows\Windows Defender\'
            - '\Windows\BitLocker'
            - '\Windows\WindowsBackup\'
            - '\Windows\WindowsUpdate\'
            - '\Windows\UpdateOrchestrator\'
            - '\Windows\ExploitGuard'
    filter_main_user:
        UserName|contains:
            - 'AUTHORI'
            - 'AUTORI'
    condition: selection and not 1 of filter_main_*
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: high
regression_tests_path: regression_data/rules/windows/builtin/taskscheduler/win_taskscheduler_susp_schtasks_delete_or_disable/info.yml
simulation:
    - type: atomic-red-team
      name: Windows - Disable the SR scheduled task
      technique: T1490
      atomic_guid: 1c68c68d-83a4-4981-974e-8993055fa034

Original YAML and metadata in JSON

False positives

• Unknown

Source references

• https://www.socinvestigation.com/most-common-windows-event-ids-to-hunt-mind-map/