Important Scheduled Task Deleted or Disabled

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

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Detection logic

selection

EventID:
  - 141
  - 142
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_*

Raw YAML

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