Elastic Security Detection Rules

Volume Shadow Copy Deleted or Resized via VssAdmin

Last updated 5 months ago on 2025-03-20
Created 6 years ago on 2020-02-18

About

Identifies use of vssadmin.exe for shadow copy deletion or resizing on endpoints. This commonly occurs in tandem with ransomware or other destructive attacks.
Tags
Domain: EndpointOS: WindowsUse Case: Threat DetectionTactic: ImpactData Source: Elastic EndgameData Source: Elastic DefendData Source: Windows Security Event LogsData Source: Microsoft Defender for EndpointData Source: SysmonData Source: SentinelOneData Source: CrowdstrikeLanguage: eql
Severity
high
Risk Score
73
MITRE ATT&CK™

Impact (TA0040)(opens in a new tab or window)

↳ Inhibit System Recovery (T1490)(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 : "vssadmin.exe" or ?process.pe.original_file_name == "VSSADMIN.EXE") and
  process.args : ("delete", "resize") and process.args : "shadows*"

Install detection rules in Elastic Security

Detect Volume Shadow Copy Deleted or Resized via VssAdmin 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).