Scheduled Task Creation Masquerading as System Processes

 1title: Scheduled Task Creation Masquerading as System Processes
 2id: 9f8573c9-22b4-40e3-89c1-72bc2b8d49ab
 3status: experimental
 4description: Detects the creation of scheduled tasks that involve system processes, which may indicate malicious actors masquerading as or abusing these processes to execute payloads or maintain persistence.
 5references:
 6    - https://tria.ge/241015-l98snsyeje/behavioral2
 7author: Swachchhanda Shrawan Poudel (Nextron Systems)
 8date: 2025-02-05
 9tags:
10    - attack.privilege-escalation
11    - attack.execution
12    - attack.persistence
13    - attack.t1053.005
14    - attack.defense-evasion
15    - attack.t1036.004
16    - attack.t1036.005
17logsource:
18    category: process_creation
19    product: windows
20detection:
21    selection_img:
22        - Image|endswith: '\schtasks.exe'
23        - OriginalFileName: 'schtasks.exe'
24    selection_cli:
25        CommandLine|contains|windash: ' /create '
26        CommandLine|contains:
27            - ' audiodg'
28            - ' conhost'
29            - ' dwm.exe'
30            - ' explorer'
31            - ' lsass'
32            - ' lsm'
33            - ' mmc'
34            - ' msiexec'
35            - ' regsvr32'
36            - ' rundll32'
37            - ' services'
38            - ' spoolsv'
39            - ' svchost'
40            - ' taskeng'
41            - ' taskhost'
42            - ' wininit'
43            - ' winlogon'
44    condition: all of selection_*
45falsepositives:
46    - Legitimate system administration tasks scheduling trusted system processes.
47level: high