1200KM / sigma-rule
Suspicious Windows Service Tampering — Sigma Rule
Sigma rule ce72ef99-22f1-43d4-8695-419dcb5d9330. Suspicious Windows Service Tampering — Sigma Rule. Detects the usage of binaries such as 'net', 'sc' or 'powershell' in order to stop, pause, disable or delete critical or important Windows services such as AV, Backup, etc. As seen being used in some ransomware scripts
Rule metadata and linked tags
Author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), frack113 , X__Junior (Nextron Systems). Source status: test; severity: high. Source dates: 2022-09-01 / 2025-08-27.
{
"category": "process_creation",
"product": "windows"
}Pinned original Sigma rule · Detection Rule License 1.1
Source SHA-256: 361d53bcc5cf038d24bfb86badb4247ceb5c3b8a94cba73b77c12862c866ea99
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: Suspicious Windows Service Tampering
id: ce72ef99-22f1-43d4-8695-419dcb5d9330
related:
- id: eb87818d-db5d-49cc-a987-d5da331fbd90
type: obsolete
- id: 6783aa9e-0dc3-49d4-a94a-8b39c5fd700b
type: obsolete
- id: 7fd4bb39-12d0-45ab-bb36-cebabc73dc7b
type: obsolete
status: test
description: |
Detects the usage of binaries such as 'net', 'sc' or 'powershell' in order to stop, pause, disable or delete critical or important Windows services such as AV, Backup, etc. As seen being used in some ransomware scripts
references:
- https://www.trendmicro.com/content/dam/trendmicro/global/en/research/22/h/ransomware-actor-abuses-genshin-impact-anti-cheat-driver-to-kill-antivirus/Genshin%20Impact%20Figure%2010.jpg
- https://www.trellix.com/en-sg/about/newsroom/stories/threat-labs/lockergoga-ransomware-family-used-in-targeted-attacks.html
- https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1562.001/T1562.001.md
- https://research.nccgroup.com/2022/08/19/back-in-black-unlocking-a-lockbit-3-0-ransomware-attack/
- https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/38283b775552da8981452941ea74191aa0d203edd3f61fb2dee7b0aea3514955
- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/cimwin32prov/delete-method-in-class-win32-service
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), frack113 , X__Junior (Nextron Systems)
date: 2022-09-01
modified: 2025-08-27
tags:
- attack.impact
- attack.defense-impairment
- attack.t1489
- attack.t1685
logsource:
category: process_creation
product: windows
detection:
selection_tools_img:
- OriginalFileName:
- 'net.exe'
- 'net1.exe'
- 'PowerShell_ISE.EXE'
- 'PowerShell.EXE'
- 'psservice.exe'
- 'pwsh.dll'
- 'sc.exe'
- 'wmic.exe'
- Image|endswith:
- '\net.exe'
- '\net1.exe'
- '\PowerShell_ISE.EXE'
- '\powershell.exe'
- '\PsService.exe'
- '\PsService64.exe'
- '\pwsh.exe'
- '\sc.exe'
- '\wmic.exe' # wmic process call win32_service where name='servicename' delete
selection_tools_cli:
- CommandLine|contains:
- ' delete '
- '.delete()' # Get-WmiObject win32_service -Filter "name='$serviceName'" ).delete()
- ' pause ' # Covers flags from: PsService and Sc.EXE
- ' stop ' # Covers flags from: PsService.EXE, Net.EXE and Sc.EXE
- 'Stop-Service '
- 'Remove-Service '
- CommandLine|contains|all:
- 'config'
- 'start=disabled'
selection_services:
CommandLine|contains:
- '143Svc'
- 'Acronis VSS Provider'
- 'AcronisAgent'
- 'AcrSch2Svc'
- 'AdobeARMservice'
- 'AHS Service'
- 'Antivirus'
- 'Apache4'
- 'ARSM'
- 'aswBcc'
- 'AteraAgent'
- 'Avast Business Console Client Antivirus Service'
- 'avast! Antivirus'
- 'AVG Antivirus'
- 'avgAdminClient'
- 'AvgAdminServer'
- 'AVP1'
- 'BackupExec'
- 'bedbg'
- 'BITS'
- 'BrokerInfrastructure'
- 'CASLicenceServer'
- 'CASWebServer'
- 'Client Agent 7.60'
- 'Core Browsing Protection'
- 'Core Mail Protection'
- 'Core Scanning Server'
- 'DCAgent'
- 'dwmrcs'
- 'EhttpSr'
- 'ekrn'
- 'Enterprise Client Service'
- 'epag'
- 'EPIntegrationService'
- 'EPProtectedService'
- 'EPRedline'
- 'EPSecurityService'
- 'EPUpdateService'
- 'EraserSvc11710'
- 'EsgShKernel'
- 'ESHASRV'
- 'FA_Scheduler'
- 'FirebirdGuardianDefaultInstance'
- 'FirebirdServerDefaultInstance'
- 'FontCache3.0.0.0'
- 'HealthTLService'
- 'hmpalertsvc'
- 'HMS'
- 'HostControllerService'
- 'hvdsvc'
- 'IAStorDataMgrSvc'
- 'IBMHPS'
- 'ibmspsvc'
- 'IISAdmin'
- 'IMANSVC'
- 'IMAP4Svc'
- 'instance2'
- 'KAVFS'
- 'KAVFSGT'
- 'kavfsslp'
- 'KeyIso'
- 'klbackupdisk'
- 'klbackupflt'
- 'klflt'
- 'klhk'
- 'KLIF'
- 'klim6'
- 'klkbdflt'
- 'klmouflt'
- 'klnagent'
- 'klpd'
- 'kltap'
- 'KSDE1.0.0'
- 'LogProcessorService'
- 'M8EndpointAgent'
- 'macmnsvc'
- 'masvc'
- 'MBAMService'
- 'MBCloudEA'
- 'MBEndpointAgent'
- 'McAfeeDLPAgentService'
- 'McAfeeEngineService'
- 'MCAFEEEVENTPARSERSRV'
- 'McAfeeFramework'
- 'MCAFEETOMCATSRV530'
- 'McShield'
- 'McTaskManager'
- 'mfefire'
- 'mfemms'
- 'mfevto'
- 'mfevtp'
- 'mfewc'
- 'MMS'
- 'mozyprobackup'
- 'mpssvc'
- 'MSComplianceAudit'
- 'MSDTC'
- 'MsDtsServer'
- 'MSExchange'
- 'msftesq1SPROO'
- 'msftesql$PROD'
- 'msftesql$SQLEXPRESS'
- 'MSOLAP$SQL_2008'
- 'MSOLAP$SYSTEM_BGC'
- 'MSOLAP$TPS'
- 'MSOLAP$TPSAMA'
- 'MSOLAPSTPS'
- 'MSOLAPSTPSAMA'
- 'mssecflt'
- 'MSSQ!I.SPROFXENGAGEMEHT'
- 'MSSQ0SHAREPOINT'
- 'MSSQ0SOPHOS'
- 'MSSQL'
- 'MSSQLFDLauncher$'
- 'MySQL'
- 'NanoServiceMain'
- 'NetMsmqActivator'
- 'NetPipeActivator'
- 'netprofm'
- 'NetTcpActivator'
- 'NetTcpPortSharing'
- 'ntrtscan'
- 'nvspwmi'
- 'ofcservice'
- 'Online Protection System'
- 'OracleClientCache80'
- 'OracleDBConsole'
- 'OracleMTSRecoveryService'
- 'OracleOraDb11g_home1'
- 'OracleService'
- 'OracleVssWriter'
- 'osppsvc'
- 'PandaAetherAgent'
- 'PccNTUpd'
- 'PDVFSService'
- 'POP3Svc'
- 'postgresql-x64-9.4'
- 'POVFSService'
- 'PSUAService'
- 'Quick Update Service'
- 'RepairService'
- 'ReportServer'
- 'ReportServer$'
- 'RESvc'
- 'RpcEptMapper'
- 'sacsvr'
- 'SamSs'
- 'SAVAdminService'
- 'SAVService'
- 'ScSecSvc'
- 'SDRSVC'
- 'SearchExchangeTracing'
- 'sense'
- 'SentinelAgent'
- 'SentinelHelperService'
- 'SepMasterService'
- 'ShMonitor'
- 'Smcinst'
- 'SmcService'
- 'SMTPSvc'
- 'SNAC'
- 'SntpService'
- 'Sophos'
- 'SQ1SafeOLRService'
- 'SQL Backups'
- 'SQL Server'
- 'SQLAgent'
- 'SQLANYs_Sage_FAS_Fixed_Assets'
- 'SQLBrowser'
- 'SQLsafe'
- 'SQLSERVERAGENT'
- 'SQLTELEMETRY'
- 'SQLWriter'
- 'SSISTELEMETRY130'
- 'SstpSvc'
- 'storflt'
- 'svcGenericHost'
- 'swc_service'
- 'swi_filter'
- 'swi_service'
- 'swi_update'
- 'Symantec'
- 'sysmon'
- 'TeamViewer'
- 'Telemetryserver'
- 'ThreatLockerService'
- 'TMBMServer'
- 'TmCCSF'
- 'TmFilter'
- 'TMiCRCScanService'
- 'tmlisten'
- 'TMLWCSService'
- 'TmPfw'
- 'TmPreFilter'
- 'TmProxy'
- 'TMSmartRelayService'
- 'tmusa'
- 'Tomcat'
- 'Trend Micro Deep Security Manager'
- 'TrueKey'
- 'UFNet'
- 'UI0Detect'
- 'UniFi'
- 'UTODetect'
- 'vds'
- 'Veeam'
- 'VeeamDeploySvc'
- 'Veritas System Recovery'
- 'vmic'
- 'VMTools'
- 'vmvss'
- 'VSApiNt'
- 'VSS'
- 'W3Svc'
- 'wbengine'
- 'WdNisSvc'
- 'WeanClOudSve'
- 'Weems JY'
- 'WinDefend'
- 'wmms'
- 'wozyprobackup'
- 'WPFFontCache_v0400'
- 'WRSVC'
- 'wsbexchange'
- 'WSearch'
- 'wscsvc'
- 'Zoolz 2 Service'
condition: all of selection_*
falsepositives:
- Administrators or tools shutting down the services due to upgrade or removal purposes. If you experience some false positive, please consider adding filters to the parent process launching this command and not removing the entry
level: high
False positives
- Administrators or tools shutting down the services due to upgrade or removal purposes. If you experience some false positive, please consider adding filters to the parent process launching this command and not removing the entry
Source references
- https://www.trendmicro.com/content/dam/trendmicro/global/en/research/22/h/ransomware-actor-abuses-genshin-impact-anti-cheat-driver-to-kill-antivirus/Genshin%20Impact%20Figure%2010.jpg
- https://www.trellix.com/en-sg/about/newsroom/stories/threat-labs/lockergoga-ransomware-family-used-in-targeted-attacks.html
- https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1562.001/T1562.001.md
- https://research.nccgroup.com/2022/08/19/back-in-black-unlocking-a-lockbit-3-0-ransomware-attack/
- https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/38283b775552da8981452941ea74191aa0d203edd3f61fb2dee7b0aea3514955
- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/cimwin32prov/delete-method-in-class-win32-service
Connected ecosystem references
Exact source-tagged techniques
Telemetry review
Read the original logsource above, then inspect the linked detection workspaces for technique-level sensor context. No per-rule telemetry equivalence is inferred.
Pinned research references. No browser attack runner, live simulation result or validated detector is asserted. Source mappings and validation limits are preserved. ATT&CK / Atomic provenance · Detection provenance.