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.persistence
11    - attack.t1053.005
12    - attack.defense-evasion
13    - attack.t1036.004
14    - attack.t1036.005
15logsource:
16    category: process_creation
17    product: windows
18detection:
19    selection_img:
20        - Image|endswith: '\schtasks.exe'
21        - OriginalFileName: 'schtasks.exe'
22    selection_cli:
23        CommandLine|contains|windash: ' /create '
24        CommandLine|contains:
25            - ' audiodg'
26            - ' conhost'
27            - ' dwm.exe'
28            - ' explorer'
29            - ' lsass'
30            - ' lsm'
31            - ' mmc'
32            - ' msiexec'
33            - ' regsvr32'
34            - ' rundll32'
35            - ' services'
36            - ' spoolsv'
37            - ' svchost'
38            - ' taskeng'
39            - ' taskhost'
40            - ' wininit'
41            - ' winlogon'
42    condition: all of selection_*
43falsepositives:
44    - Legitimate system administration tasks scheduling trusted system processes.
45level: high