Techniques › T1679
T1679 Selective Exclusion
stealth — Windows · attack.mitre.org · JSON
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MITRE detection strategy
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analytics
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Sigma rules tagged attack.t1679
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KEV CVEs mapped here
<p>Adversaries may intentionally exclude certain files, folders, directories, file types, or system components from encryption or tampering during a ransomware or malicious payload execution. Some file extensions that adversaries may avoid encrypting include
.dll, .exe, and .lnk.</p><p>Adversaries may perform this behavior to avoid alerting users, to evade detection by security tools and analysts, or, in the case of ransomware, to ensure that the system remains operational enough to deliver the ransom notice.</p><p>Exclusions may target files and components whose corruption would cause instability, break core services, or immediately expose the attack. By carefully avoiding these areas, adversaries maintain system responsiveness while minimizing indicators that could trigger alarms or otherwise inhibit achieving their goals.</p>KEV CVEs mapped to this technique · CTID Mappings Explorer
None. No KEV entry in the public mapping names this technique. Given that 74.7% of KEV has no mapping at all, this says more about the mapping than about the technique.
Detection strategy · ATT&CK Enterprise v19.2
- DET0897 Detection of Selective Exclusion v1.0
AN2030 WindowsA process with no prior history or outside of known whitelisted tools initiates file or registry modifications to configure exclusion rules for antivirus, backup, or file-handling systems. Or a file system enumeration for specific file names andcritical extensions like .dll, .exe, .sys, or specific directories such as 'Program Files' or security tool paths or system component discovery for the exclusion of the files or components.Tunable:
TimeWindowDiscoveryActivityThresholdExclusionTargetListAuthorizedExclusionModifiers
Sigma rules · SigmaHQ da9bb07d64, tag attack.t1679
No Sigma rule carries this tag. MITRE publishes a detection strategy above, so the behaviour is specified; what is missing is public detection content.