Adversaries may abuse task scheduling functionality to facilitate initial or recurring execution of malicious code. Utilities exist within all major operating systems to schedule programs or scripts to be executed at a specified date and time. A task can also be scheduled on a remote system, provided the proper authentication is met (ex: RPC and file and printer sharing in Windows environments). Scheduling a task on a remote system typically may require being a member of an admin or otherwise privileged group on the remote system.[1]
Adversaries may use task scheduling to execute programs at system startup or on a scheduled basis for persistence. These mechanisms can also be abused to run a process under the context of a specified account (such as one with elevated permissions/privileges). Similar to System Binary Proxy Execution, adversaries have also abused task scheduling to potentially mask one-time execution under a trusted system process.[2]
During the 2025 Poland Wiper Attacks, the adversaries set FortiGate scheduled tasks to run the adversary generated CLI scripts weekly.1
2025
All 1 campaigns for this technique
1 software entry is documented implementing this technique. MITRE files each as a tool or as malware; newest first, then by how many groups carry them.
MITRE names one behaviour worth catching for this technique and breaks it into 5 analytics, one per platform. Each carries the log sources it needs and the fields you tune per environment.
Cross-Platform Behavioral Detection of Scheduled Task/Job Abuse
Enterprise
5 platforms
AN0258 · Windows
Detects creation or modification of scheduled tasks using schtasks.exe, at.exe, or COM objects followed by execution of outlier processes tied to the scheduled job.
Log sources
The data this analytic draws on. You do not need every component — each one you already collect covers part of it. Each links to its ATT&CK record.
MITRE calls these the analytic’s mutable elements: the thresholds and filters you set for your own environment.
Field
What you tune
TaskAuthor
Unexpected user or account context initiating the task.
CommandLineRegex
Suspicious binaries or script usage tied to scheduled tasks.
ExecutionWindow
Lookback window to correlate process execution after task registration.
AN0259 · Linux
Detects creation or modification of cron jobs via crontab, /etc/cron.* directories, or systemd timer units with execution by unusual users or non-standard intervals.
Log sources
The data this analytic draws on. You do not need every component — each one you already collect covers part of it. Each links to its ATT&CK record.
Toolkits like the PowerSploit framework contain PowerUp modules that can be used to explore systems for permission weaknesses in scheduled tasks that could be used to escalate privileges.
Configure settings for scheduled tasks to force tasks to run under the context of the authenticated account instead of allowing them to run as SYSTEM. The associated Registry key is located at HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa\SubmitControl. The setting can be configured through GPO: Computer Configuration > [Policies] > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Local Policies > Security Options: Domain Controller: Allow server operators to schedule tasks, set to disabled.
Configure the Increase Scheduling Priority option to only allow the Administrators group the rights to schedule a priority process. This can be can be configured through GPO: Computer Configuration > [Policies] > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Local Policies > User Rights Assignment: Increase scheduling priority.
Limit privileges of user accounts and remediate Privilege Escalation vectors so only authorized administrators can create scheduled tasks on remote systems.
Scheduled Task/Job detections T1053
19 rules are mapped to this technique.
Top 14%of all ATT&CK techniques for number of rules
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Modifications to a config that will serve an adversary's impacts or persistence
The following analytic detects the creation of scheduled tasks on Windows systems that include HTTP command arguments, using Windows Security EventCode 4698. (...)