Network Connection Initiated Via Notepad.EXE
Detects a network connection that is initiated by the "notepad.exe" process. This might be a sign of process injection from a beacon process or something similar. Notepad rarely initiates a network communication…
Description
Detects a network connection that is initiated by the "notepad.exe" process. This might be a sign of process injection from a beacon process or something similar. Notepad rarely initiates a network communication except when printing documents for example.
Detection logic
Detection requirements
- Platform
- LinuxmacOSWindows
The rule states no platform. This is derived from the ATT&CK technique it maps to.
- Log source product
- windows
- Log source category
- network_connection
Known benign triggers
- Printing documents via notepad might cause communication with the printer via port 9100 or similar.
MITRE ATT&CK mappings
0 exclusive techniques.This is coverage no other published rule has; it is not this rule's total technique count.
References
| Reference | Cited by |
|---|---|
| web.archive.org/web/20200219102749/https://www.sans.org/cyber-security-summit/archives/file/summit-archive-1492186586.pdf | Only this detection cites it |
| www.cobaltstrike.com/blog/why-is-notepad-exe-connecting-to-the-internet | Only this detection cites it |
From the source
- At source
- Open at source
- Upstream identifier
- e81528db-fc02-45e8-8e98-4e84aba1f10b
- Tagged by the source as
- attack.command-and-controlattack.executionattack.privilege-escalationattack.stealth
Licence
- Published under
- Detection Rule License 1.1Read the licence
- Attribution
- Required
Authorship
- Written by
- Published
- Aug 26, 2026
- Version
- 1