Elastic Security Detection Rules

System File Ownership Change

Last updated 6 days ago on 2025-09-02
Created 7 days ago on 2025-09-01

About

Adversaries may modify file or directory ownership to evade access control lists (ACLs) and access protected files.
Tags
Domain: EndpointOS: WindowsUse Case: Threat DetectionTactic: Defense EvasionTactic: PersistenceData Source: Elastic EndgameData Source: Elastic DefendData Source: Windows Security Event LogsData Source: Microsoft Defender for EndpointData Source: SysmonData Source: SentinelOneData Source: CrowdstrikeLanguage: eql
Severity
medium
Risk Score
47
MITRE ATT&CK™

Defense Evasion (TA0005)(opens in a new tab or window)

↳ File and Directory Permissions Modification (T1222)(opens in a new tab or window)

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

Definition

Rule Type
Event Correlation Rule
Integration Pack
Prebuilt Security Detection Rules
Index Patterns
endgame-*logs-crowdstrike.fdr*logs-endpoint.events.process-*logs-m365_defender.event-*logs-sentinel_one_cloud_funnel.*logs-system.security*logs-windows.forwarded*logs-windows.sysmon_operational-*winlogbeat-*
Related Integrations

endpoint(opens in a new tab or window)

windows(opens in a new tab or window)

system(opens in a new tab or window)

m365_defender(opens in a new tab or window)

sentinel_one_cloud_funnel(opens in a new tab or window)

crowdstrike(opens in a new tab or window)

Query
process where host.os.type == "windows" and event.type == "start" and
  (
   (process.name : "icacls.exe" and process.args : "/reset") or
   (process.name : "takeown.exe" and process.args : "/f") or
   (process.name : "icacls.exe" and process.args : "/grant" and process.args : "Everyone:F")
   ) and
   process.command_line : "*.exe *C:\\Windows\\*"

Install detection rules in Elastic Security

Detect System File Ownership Change 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(opens in a new tab or window).