↳ GitHub sourceAnalytics ruleMedium

Deletion of data on multiple drives using cipher exe

Description

This query checks for attempts to delete data on multiple drives using cipher.exe. This activity is typically done by ransomware to prevent recovery of data after encryption.
Rule type
Scheduled
Version
1.0.0
Declared status
Available
Query frequency
1h
Query period
1h
Trigger
gt 0

Declared MITRE coverage

Declared sources

Metadata from the source file. No dependencies inferred from KQL.

Connectors

Data types

KQL query

Original query, unchanged.

// Look for cipher.exe deleting data from multiple drives
DeviceProcessEvents
| where FileName =~ "cipher.exe" 
// cipher.exe /w flag used for deleting data 
| where ProcessCommandLine has "/w" 
| summarize CipherCount = dcount(ProcessCommandLine), CipherList = make_set(ProcessCommandLine, 1000) by DeviceId, DeviceName, bin(TimeGenerated, 1m) 
// cipher.exe accessing multiple drives in a short timeframe  
| where CipherCount > 1
| extend HostName = iff(DeviceName has '.', substring(DeviceName, 0, indexof(DeviceName, '.')), DeviceName)
| extend DnsDomain = iff(DeviceName has '.', substring(DeviceName, indexof(DeviceName, '.') + 1), "")

Declared entities

Host

Related content

Links established from declared identifiers and solution manifests.

Source provenance

GitHub

Displayed values come from files in Azure/Azure-Sentinel. They describe the published template, not your workspace configuration.

Source identifier
03caa992-477f-4b19-8e2a-8cd58f8f9652
Additional source files 2Solutions/Microsoft Defender XDR/Analytic Rules/Ransomware/DataDeletionOnMulipleDrivesUsingCipherExe.yamlsource ↗Solutions/Microsoft Defender XDR/Data/Solution_Microsoft Defender XDR.jsonsolution-membership ↗
GSTEP / CATALOG TRACKING

Added to catalog : 16 Sept 2026 · 05:49 UTC
Last change observed : 16 Sept 2026 · 05:49 UTC

GSTEP sync dates, separate from the source content’s publication dates.