---
title: File and Directory Discovery
description: Enumeration of files and directories using built-in tools. Adversaries may use the information discovered to plan follow-on activity. Rule type: eql Rule...
url: https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/3167/reference/security/prebuilt-rules/rules/_deprecated/discovery_file_dir_discovery
products:
  - Elastic Security
---

# File and Directory Discovery
<warning>
  This rule has been deprecated as of 2022/08/02.
</warning>

Enumeration of files and directories using built-in tools. Adversaries may use the information discovered to plan
follow-on activity.
**Rule type**: eql
**Rule indices**:
- logs-endpoint.events.*
- winlogbeat-*
- logs-windows.*

**Rule Severity**: low
**Risk Score**: 21
**Runs every**: 
**Searches indices from**: `now-9m`
**Maximum alerts per execution**: 100
**References**:
**Tags**:
- Elastic
- Host
- Windows
- Threat Detection
- Discovery

**Version**: 100
**Rule authors**:
- Elastic

**Rule license**: Elastic License v2

## Investigation guide


## Triage and analysis


### Investigating File and Directory Discovery

After successfully compromising an environment, attackers may try to gain situational awareness to plan their next steps.
This can happen by running commands to enumerate network resources, users, connections, files, and installed security
software.
This rule looks for three directory-listing commands in one minute, which can indicate attempts to locate valuable files,
specific file types or installed programs.

#### Possible investigation steps

- Investigate the process execution chain (parent process tree) for unknown processes. Examine their executable files
  for prevalence, whether they are located in expected locations, and if they are signed with valid digital signatures.
- Identify the user account that performed the action and whether it should perform this kind of action.
- Investigate other alerts associated with the user/host during the past 48 hours.
- Investigate abnormal behaviors observed using the account, such as commands executed, files created or modified, and
  network connections.


### False positive analysis

- Discovery activities are not inherently malicious if they occur in isolation. As long as the analyst did not identify
  suspicious activity related to the user or host, such alerts can be dismissed.


### Response and remediation

- Initiate the incident response process based on the outcome of the triage.
- Isolate the involved hosts to prevent further post-compromise behavior.
- Investigate credential exposure on systems compromised or used by the attacker to ensure all compromised accounts are
  identified. Reset passwords for these accounts and other potentially compromised credentials, such as email, business
  systems, and web services.
- Run a full antimalware scan. This may reveal additional artifacts left in the system, persistence mechanisms, and
  malware components.
- Determine the initial vector abused by the attacker and take action to prevent reinfection via the same vector.
- Using the incident response data, update logging and audit policies to improve the mean time to detect (MTTD) and the
  mean time to respond (MTTR).


## Rule Query

```eql
sequence by agent.id, user.name with maxspan=1m
[process where event.type in ("start", "process_started") and
  ((process.name : "cmd.exe" or process.pe.original_file_name == "Cmd.Exe") and process.args : "dir") or
    process.name : "tree.com"]
[process where event.type in ("start", "process_started") and
  ((process.name : "cmd.exe" or process.pe.original_file_name == "Cmd.Exe") and process.args : "dir") or
    process.name : "tree.com"]
[process where event.type in ("start", "process_started") and
  ((process.name : "cmd.exe" or process.pe.original_file_name == "Cmd.Exe") and process.args : "dir") or
    process.name : "tree.com"]
```

**Framework:** MITRE ATT&CK
- Tactic:
  - Name: Discovery
- Id: TA0007
- Reference URL: [[https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0007/](https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0007/)](https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0007/)
- Technique:
  - Name: File and Directory Discovery
- Id: T1083
- Reference URL: [[https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1083/](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1083/)](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1083/)