Scheduled Task Creation Via Schtasks.EXE

 1title: Scheduled Task Creation Via Schtasks.EXE
 2id: 92626ddd-662c-49e3-ac59-f6535f12d189
 3status: test
 4description: Detects the creation of scheduled tasks by user accounts via the "schtasks" utility.
 5references:
 6    - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/schtasks-create
 7author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems)
 8date: 2019-01-16
 9modified: 2025-10-22
10tags:
11    - attack.execution
12    - attack.persistence
13    - attack.privilege-escalation
14    - attack.t1053.005
15    - attack.s0111
16    - car.2013-08-001
17    - stp.1u
18logsource:
19    category: process_creation
20    product: windows
21detection:
22    selection:
23        Image|endswith: '\schtasks.exe'
24        CommandLine|contains: ' /create '
25    filter_main_system_user:
26        User|contains: # covers many language settings
27            - 'AUTHORI'
28            - 'AUTORI'
29    filter_optional_msoffice:
30        #  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"
31        ParentImage:
32            - 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\integration\integrator.exe'
33            - 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\integration\integrator.exe'
34        Image:
35            - 'C:\Windows\System32\schtasks.exe'
36            - 'C:\Windows\SysWOW64\schtasks.exe'
37        CommandLine|contains: 'Microsoft\Office\Office Performance Monitor'
38    condition: selection and not 1 of filter_main_* and not 1 of filter_optional_*
39falsepositives:
40    - Administrative activity
41    - Software installation
42level: low