PowerShell Script with Windows Defender Tampering Capabilities

Last updated a month ago on 2026-02-09
Created 2 years ago on 2024-09-11

About

Detects PowerShell scripts that uses Set-MpPreference with parameters that disable or weaken Defender. Attackers tamper with antivirus settings to reduce detection and enable follow-on payload execution.
Tags
Domain: EndpointOS: WindowsUse Case: Threat DetectionTactic: Defense EvasionData Source: PowerShell LogsLanguage: kuery
Severity
medium
Risk Score
47
MITRE ATT&CK™

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

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

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

Definition

Rule Type
Query (Kibana Query Language)
Integration Pack
Prebuilt Security Detection Rules
Index Patterns
winlogbeat-*logs-windows.powershell*
Related Integrations

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

Query
text code block:
event.category: "process" and host.os.type:windows and ( powershell.file.script_block_text: "Set-MpPreference" and powershell.file.script_block_text: ( DisableArchiveScanning or DisableBehaviorMonitoring or DisableIntrusionPreventionSystem or DisableIOAVProtection or DisableRemovableDriveScanning or DisableBlockAtFirstSeen or DisableScanningMappedNetworkDrivesForFullScan or DisableScanningNetworkFiles or DisableScriptScanning or DisableRealtimeMonitoring or LowThreatDefaultAction or ModerateThreatDefaultAction or HighThreatDefaultAction ) ) and not powershell.file.script_block_text : ( ("cmdletization" and "cdxml-Help.xml") or ("function Set-MpPreference" and "Microsoft.PowerShell.Cmdletization.GeneratedTypes.MpPreference.SubmitSamplesConsentType") ) and not file.directory : "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection\SenseCM" and not user.id : "S-1-5-18"

Install detection rules in Elastic Security

Detect PowerShell Script with Windows Defender Tampering Capabilities 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).