AzCopy or Azure Storage Explorer Usage on Unusual Host

Last updated 3 days ago on 2026-09-09

Created 3 days ago on 2026-09-09

About

Identifies the first time, in a historical window, a host runs AzCopy copy or sync to Azure Blob, Data Lake, or File storage, or starts Azure Storage Explorer. These Microsoft utilities are legitimate data-transfer tools; ransomware and cloud-ransomware operators drop portable copies and use SAS-authenticated jobs to pull data from victim storage and push it to attacker-controlled accounts.

Tags

Domain: EndpointOS: WindowsPlatform: WindowsUse Case: Threat DetectionTactic: ExfiltrationTactic: CollectionTactic: ExecutionRule Type: New TermsThreat: RhysidaUse Case: RansomwareData Source: Elastic DefendData Source: SysmonData Source: Microsoft Defender XDRData Source: CrowdstrikeLanguage: kuery

Severity

medium

Risk Score

MITRE ATT&CK™

Exfiltration (TA0010)(external, opens in a new tab or window)

↳ Exfiltration Over Web Service (T1567)(external, opens in a new tab or window)

Collection (TA0009)(external, opens in a new tab or window)

↳ Data from Cloud Storage (T1530)(external, opens in a new tab or window)

Execution (TA0002)(external, opens in a new tab or window)

↳ Command and Scripting Interpreter (T1059)(external, opens in a new tab or window)

False Positive Examples

IT or DevOps using AzCopy for authorized migrations on a host that has not used it in the history window.Users launching Azure Storage Explorer (including the installer) for the first time on a host.

License

Elastic License v2(external, opens in a new tab or window)

Definition

Rule Type

New Terms Rule

Integration Pack

Prebuilt Security Detection Rules

Index Patterns

logs-crowdstrike.fdr*logs-endpoint.events.process-*logs-m365_defender.event-*logs-windows.sysmon_operational-*

Related Integrations

endpoint(external, opens in a new tab or window)

windows(external, opens in a new tab or window)

m365_defender(external, opens in a new tab or window)

crowdstrike(external, opens in a new tab or window)

Query

✄𐘗text code block:
✄𐘗host.os.type:windows and event.category:process and event.type:start and
(
  (
    (process.name:"azcopy.exe" or process.pe.original_file_name:"azcopy.exe") and
    process.args:("copy" or "sync") and
    process.command_line:(*blob.core.windows.net* or *dfs.core.windows.net* or *file.core.windows.net* or *blob.storage.azure.net*)
  ) or
  process.name:("StorageExplorer.exe" or "StorageExplorer-windows-x64.exe" or "StorageExplorer-windows-arm64.exe" or "StorageExplorer-windowsx64.exe")
)

Install detection rules in Elastic Security

Detect AzCopy or Azure Storage Explorer Usage on Unusual Host in the Elastic Security detection engine by installing this rule into your Elastic Stack.

To setup this rule, check out the installation guide for Prebuilt Security Detection Rules(external, opens in a new tab or window).