Desktop.INI Created by Uncommon Process

title: Desktop.INI Created by Uncommon Process
id: 81315b50-6b60-4d8f-9928-3466e1022515
status: test
description: Detects unusual processes accessing desktop.ini, which can be leveraged to alter how Explorer displays a folder's content (i.e. renaming files) without changing them on disk.
references:
    - https://isc.sans.edu/forums/diary/Desktopini+as+a+postexploitation+tool/25912/
author: Maxime Thiebaut (@0xThiebaut), Tim Shelton (HAWK.IO)
date: 2020-03-19
modified: 2025-12-09
tags:
    - attack.privilege-escalation
    - attack.persistence
    - attack.t1547.009
logsource:
    product: windows
    category: file_event
detection:
    selection:
        TargetFilename|endswith: '\desktop.ini'
    filter_main_generic:
        Image|startswith:
            - 'C:\Windows\'
            - 'C:\Program Files\'
            - 'C:\Program Files (x86)\'
    filter_main_upgrade:
        TargetFilename|startswith: 'C:\$WINDOWS.~BT\NewOS\'
    filter_optional_jetbrains:
        Image|startswith: 'C:\Users\'
        Image|endswith: '\AppData\Local\JetBrains\Toolbox\bin\7z.exe'
        TargetFilename|contains: '\JetBrains\apps\'
    filter_optional_onedrive:
        Image|startswith: 'C:\Users\'
        Image|contains: '\AppData\Local\Microsoft\OneDrive\'
    condition: selection and not 1 of filter_main_* and not 1 of filter_optional_*
falsepositives:
    - Operations performed through Windows SCCM or equivalent
    - Read only access list authority
level: medium