Windows Terminal Profile Settings Modification By Uncommon Process

SIGMA detection rule by frack113, Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems) · NOASSERTION

Detects the creation or modification of the Windows Terminal Profile settings file "settings.json" by an uncommon process.

title: Windows Terminal Profile Settings Modification By Uncommon Process
id: 9b64de98-9db3-4033-bd7a-f51430105f00
status: test
description: Detects the creation or modification of the Windows Terminal Profile settings file "settings.json" by an uncommon process.
references:
    - https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/74438b0237d141ee9c99747976447dc884cb1a39/atomics/T1547.015/T1547.015.md#atomic-test-1---persistence-by-modifying-windows-terminal-profile
    - https://twitter.com/nas_bench/status/1550836225652686848
author: frack113, Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems)
date: 2023-07-22
tags:
    - attack.privilege-escalation
    - attack.persistence
    - attack.t1547.015
logsource:
    product: windows
    category: file_event
detection:
    selection:
        Image|endswith:
            # Note: Add other potential common applications
            - '\cmd.exe'
            - '\cscript.exe'
            - '\mshta.exe'
            - '\powershell.exe'
            - '\pwsh.exe'
            - '\wscript.exe'
        TargetFilename|endswith: '\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.WindowsTerminal_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\settings.json'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Some false positives may occur with admin scripts that set WT settings.
level: medium

[[ currentRule.title && currentRule.title.length > 60 ? currentRule.title.slice(0, 60) + '…' : currentRule.title ]]

87425871-0106-44e8-a5c7-38c0701b4c60

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Executable code, not a declarative rule

This submission is arbitrary [[ currentRule.format ? currentRule.format.toUpperCase() : '' ]] code, not a declarative detection rule — review it as you would any script before running it, and note that it cannot be safely aggregated or auto-executed alongside YARA/Sigma/Suricata/CRS rules.

Rejected pattern present

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Format & documentation suggestions

Not a security issue — this rule is valid and was accepted as-is. These are optional fields/conventions its own format recommends, mainly affecting its quality score and how well it documents itself for other reviewers.

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[[ currentRule.title && currentRule.title.length > 60 ? currentRule.title.slice(0, 60) + '…' : currentRule.title ]]

[[ currentRule.title ]]

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