Change Default File Association To Executable Via Assoc
Detects when a program changes the default file association of any extension to an executable. When a file is opened, the default program used to open the file (also called the file association or handler) is…
Description
Detects when a program changes the default file association of any extension to an executable. When a file is opened, the default program used to open the file (also called the file association or handler) is checked. File association selections are stored in the Windows Registry and can be edited by users, administrators, or programs that have Registry access or by administrators using the built-in assoc utility. Applications can modify the file association for a given file extension to call an arbitrary program when a file with the given extension is opened.
Detection logic
Detection requirements
- Platform
- Windows
The rule states no platform. This is derived from the ATT&CK technique it maps to.
- Log source product
- windows
- Log source category
- process_creation
Known benign triggers
- Unknown
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 |
|---|---|
| learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/assoc | Only this detection cites it |
From the source
- At source
- Open at source
- Upstream identifier
- ae6f14e6-14de-45b0-9f44-c0986f50dc89
- Tagged by the source as
- attack.persistenceattack.privilege-escalation
Licence
- Published under
- Detection Rule License 1.1Read the licence
- Attribution
- Required
Authorship
- Published
- Aug 26, 2026
- Version
- 1