Bitsadmin Activity

ELASTIC detection rule by Elastic · Elastic License v2

Windows Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) is a low-bandwidth, asynchronous file transfer mechanism. Adversaries may abuse BITS to persist, download, execute, and even clean up after running malicious code.

[metadata]
creation_date = "2023/08/21"
integration = ["endpoint", "windows", "system"]
maturity = "production"
updated_date = "2025/03/20"

[rule]
author = ["Elastic"]
building_block_type = "default"
description = """
Windows Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) is a low-bandwidth, asynchronous file transfer mechanism.
Adversaries may abuse BITS to persist, download, execute, and even clean up after running malicious code.
"""
from = "now-119m"
index = [
    "endgame-*",
    "logs-endpoint.events.process-*",
    "logs-system.security*",
    "logs-windows.sysmon_operational-*",
    "winlogbeat-*",
]
interval = "60m"
language = "eql"
license = "Elastic License v2"
name = "Bitsadmin Activity"
risk_score = 21
rule_id = "8eec4df1-4b4b-4502-b6c3-c788714604c9"
severity = "low"
tags = [
    "Domain: Endpoint",
    "OS: Windows",
    "Use Case: Threat Detection",
    "Tactic: Command and Control",
    "Data Source: Elastic Defend",
    "Rule Type: BBR",
    "Data Source: Sysmon",
    "Data Source: Elastic Endgame",
    "Data Source: Windows Security Event Logs",
]
timestamp_override = "event.ingested"
type = "eql"

query = '''
process where host.os.type == "windows" and event.type == "start" and
  (
   (process.name : "bitsadmin.exe" and process.args : (
        "*Transfer*", "*Create*", "AddFile", "*SetNotifyFlags*", "*SetNotifyCmdLine*",
        "*SetMinRetryDelay*", "*SetCustomHeaders*", "*Resume*")
   ) or
   (process.name : "powershell.exe" and process.args : (
        "*Start-BitsTransfer*", "*Add-BitsFile*",
        "*Resume-BitsTransfer*", "*Set-BitsTransfer*", "*BITS.Manager*")
   )
  )
'''


[[rule.threat]]
framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"
[[rule.threat.technique]]
id = "T1105"
name = "Ingress Tool Transfer"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1105/"


[rule.threat.tactic]
id = "TA0011"
name = "Command and Control"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0011/"
[[rule.threat]]
framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"
[[rule.threat.technique]]
id = "T1197"
name = "BITS Jobs"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1197/"


[rule.threat.tactic]
id = "TA0005"
name = "Defense Evasion"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0005/"
[[rule.threat]]
framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"
[[rule.threat.technique]]
id = "T1197"
name = "BITS Jobs"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1197/"


[rule.threat.tactic]
id = "TA0003"
name = "Persistence"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0003/"

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

7ced6827-e4d4-4db1-b9f3-fc82ca77112e

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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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