AzCopy or Azure Storage Explorer Usage on Unusual Host
Identifies the first time, in a historical window, a host runs AzCopy copy or sync to Azure Blob, Data Lake, or File storage, or starts Azure Storage Explorer. These Microsoft utilities are legitimate data-transfer…
Description
Identifies the first time, in a historical window, a host runs AzCopy copy or sync to Azure Blob, Data Lake, or File storage, or starts Azure Storage Explorer. These Microsoft utilities are legitimate data-transfer tools; ransomware and cloud-ransomware operators drop portable copies and use SAS-authenticated jobs to pull data from victim storage and push it to attacker-controlled accounts.
Detection logic
Its licence does not clear it for publishing here
Sunturai publishes a detection's own text where the licence it arrived under has been reviewed and permits it, and Elastic License 2.0 has not. The query as its source wrote it, its canonical form and the hash that pins this revision are in the workspace record.
Detection requirements
- Platform
- ContainersESXiIaaSIdentity ProviderLinuxmacOSNetwork DevicesOffice SuiteSaaSWindows
The rule states no platform. This is derived from the 3 ATT&CK techniques it maps to.
- Log source category
- event_index
Known benign triggers
- IT or DevOps using AzCopy for authorized migrations on a host that has not used it in the history window.
- Users launching Azure Storage Explorer (including the installer) for the first time on a host.
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/azure/storage/common/storage-use-azcopy-v10 | 2 |
| learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/storage-explorer/vs-azure-tools-storage-explorer-blobs | Only this detection cites it |
| www.cisa.gov/news-events/cybersecurity-advisories/aa23-319a | 5from 2 sources |
| www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/2025-04/aa23-319a-stopransomware-rhysida-ransomware_2.pdf | Only this detection cites it |
| www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2025/08/27/storm-0501s-evolving-techniques-lead-to-cloud-based-ransomware/ | 13 |
From the source
- At source
- Open at source
- Upstream identifier
- 7265f4fa-4839-4399-924c-a91f1e45d76c
- Tagged by the source as
- Data Source: CrowdstrikeData Source: Elastic DefendData Source: Microsoft Defender XDRData Source: SysmonDomain: EndpointOS: WindowsPlatform: WindowsResources: Investigation GuideRule Type: New TermsTactic: CollectionTactic: ExecutionTactic: ExfiltrationThreat: RansomwareThreat: RhysidaUse Case: RansomwareUse Case: Threat Detection
Licence
- Published under
- Elastic License 2.0Read the licence
- Attribution
- Required
Authorship
- Written by
- Published
- Sep 20, 2026
- Version
- 2