---
title: Scheduled Task Created by a Windows Script
description: A scheduled task was created by a Windows script via cscript.exe, wscript.exe or powershell.exe. This can be abused by an adversary to establish persistence...
url: https://www.elastic.co/docs/reference/security/prebuilt-rules/rules/windows/persistence_local_scheduled_task_scripting
products:
  - Elastic Security
---

# Scheduled Task Created by a Windows Script
A scheduled task was created by a Windows script via cscript.exe, wscript.exe or powershell.exe. This can be abused by
an adversary to establish persistence.
**Rule type**: eql
**Rule indices**:
- winlogbeat-*
- logs-endpoint.events.registry-*
- logs-endpoint.events.library-*
- logs-windows.sysmon_operational-*
- endgame-*

**Rule Severity**: medium
**Risk Score**: 47
**Runs every**: 
**Searches indices from**: `now-9m`
**Maximum alerts per execution**: 100
**References**:
**Tags**:
- Domain: Endpoint
- OS: Windows
- Use Case: Threat Detection
- Tactic: Persistence
- Tactic: Execution
- Data Source: Elastic Endgame
- Data Source: Elastic Defend
- Data Source: Sysmon
- Resources: Investigation Guide

**Version**: 211
**Rule authors**:
- Elastic

**Rule license**: Elastic License v2

## Investigation guide


## Triage and analysis

Decode the base64 encoded Tasks Actions registry value to investigate the task's configured action.

## Rule Query

```eql
sequence by host.id with maxspan = 30s
  [any where host.os.type == "windows" and 
    (event.category : ("library", "driver") or (event.category == "process" and event.action : "Image loaded*")) and
    (?dll.name : "taskschd.dll" or file.name : "taskschd.dll") and
    process.name : ("cscript.exe", "wscript.exe", "powershell.exe", "pwsh.exe", "powershell_ise.exe")]
  [registry where host.os.type == "windows" and event.type == "change" and registry.value : "Actions" and
    registry.path : (
      "HKLM\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows NT\\CurrentVersion\\Schedule\\TaskCache\\Tasks\\*\\Actions",
      "\\REGISTRY\\MACHINE\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows NT\\CurrentVersion\\Schedule\\TaskCache\\Tasks\\*\\Actions"
  )]
```

**Framework:** MITRE ATT&CK
- Tactic:
  - Name: Persistence
- Id: TA0003
- Reference URL: [[https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0003/](https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0003/)](https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0003/)
- Technique:
  - Name: Scheduled Task/Job
- Id: T1053
- Reference URL: [[https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1053/](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1053/)](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1053/)
- Sub Technique:
  - Name: Scheduled Task
- Id: T1053.005
- Reference URL: [[https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1053/005/](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1053/005/)](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1053/005/)

**Framework:** MITRE ATT&CK
- Tactic:
  - Name: Execution
- Id: TA0002
- Reference URL: [[https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0002/](https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0002/)](https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0002/)
- Technique:
  - Name: Command and Scripting Interpreter
- Id: T1059
- Reference URL: [[https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/)](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/)
- Sub Technique:
  - Name: PowerShell
- Id: T1059.001
- Reference URL: [[https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/001/](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/001/)](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/001/)
- Sub Technique:
  - Name: Visual Basic
- Id: T1059.005
- Reference URL: [[https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/005/](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/005/)](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/005/)