IMPORTANT: No additional bug fixes or documentation updates will be released for this version. For the latest information, see the current release documentation.

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Clearing Windows Event Logs

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Clearing Windows Event Logs

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Identifies attempts to clear or disable Windows event log stores using Windows wevetutil command. This is often done by attackers in an attempt to evade detection or destroy forensic evidence on a system.

Rule type: eql

Rule indices:

winlogbeat-*
logs-endpoint.events.*
logs-windows.*

Severity: low

Risk score: 21

Runs every: 5 minutes

Searches indices from: now-9m (Date Math format, see also Additional look-back time)

Maximum alerts per execution: 100

Tags:

Elastic
Host
Windows
Threat Detection
Defense Evasion

Version: 9 (version history)

Added (Elastic Stack release): 7.6.0

Last modified (Elastic Stack release): 7.13.0

Rule authors: Elastic

Rule license: Elastic License v2

Rule query

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process where event.type in ("process_started", "start") and
(process.name : "wevtutil.exe" or process.pe.original_file_name ==
"wevtutil.exe") and process.args : ("/e:false", "cl", "clear-log")
or process.name : "powershell.exe" and process.args : "Clear-
EventLog"

Threat mapping

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Framework: MITRE ATT&CK^TM

Tactic:
- Name: Defense Evasion
- ID: TA0005
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0005/
Technique:
- Name: Indicator Removal on Host
- ID: T1070
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1070/

Rule version history

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Version 9 (7.13.0 release)

Updated query, changed from:

event.category:process and event.type:(process_started or start) and
(process.name:"wevtutil.exe" or
process.pe.original_file_name:"wevtutil.exe") and
process.args:("/e:false" or cl or "clear-log") or
process.name:"powershell.exe" and process.args:"Clear-EventLog"

Version 8 (7.12.0 release)

Formatting only

Version 7 (7.11.2 release)

Formatting only

Version 6 (7.11.0 release)

Updated query, changed from:

event.category:process and event.type:(start or process_started) and
process.name:wevtutil.exe and process.args:cl or
process.name:powershell.exe and process.args:Clear-EventLog

Version 5 (7.10.0 release)

Formatting only

Version 4 (7.9.1 release)

Formatting only

Version 3 (7.9.0 release)

Updated query, changed from:

event.action:"Process Create (rule: ProcessCreate)" and
process.name:wevtutil.exe and process.args:cl or
process.name:powershell.exe and process.args:Clear-EventLog

Version 2 (7.7.0 release)

Updated query, changed from:

event.action:"Process Create (rule: ProcessCreate)" and
(process.name:"wevtutil.exe" and process.args:"cl") or
(process.name:"powershell.exe" and process.args:"Clear-EventLog")

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