Windows Defender configuration was changed
General Windows Defender settings, exclusion paths, or scanning schedules were modified.
Event ID 5007 (`Microsoft-Windows-Windows Defender/Operational`) logs any change to Defender configuration (`Old Value` to `New Value`), including path exclusions (`ExclusionPath`), extension exclusions, and process exclusions. Threat actors frequently run `Add-MpPreference -ExclusionPath C:\Windows\Temp` (`5007`) to create an unmonitored blind spot where they can execute ransomware and Mimikatz undetected.
Failure Reason / Root Cause:
Modification of Windows Defender preferences (e.g., path/process exclusion added).
Raw Event XML snippet
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
<Provider Name="Microsoft-Windows-Security-Auditing" Guid="{54849625-5478-4994-A5BA-3E3B0328C30D}" />
<EventID>5007</EventID>
<Version>0</Version>
<Level>0</Level>
<Task>12544</Task>
<Opcode>0</Opcode>
<Keywords>0x8020000000000000</Keywords>
<TimeCreated SystemTime="2026-07-17T09:54:44.928Z" />
<EventRecordID>1048576</EventRecordID>
<Correlation />
<Execution ProcessID="612" ThreadID="1024" />
<Channel>Security</Channel>
<Computer>DC01.enterprise.internal</Computer>
<Security />
</System>
<EventData>
<Data Name="SubjectUserSid">S-1-5-18</Data>
<Data Name="SubjectUserName">SYSTEM</Data>
<Data Name="SubjectDomainName">NT AUTHORITY</Data>
<Data Name="SubjectLogonId">0x3e7</Data>
<!-- Event telemetry fields specific to Windows Defender configuration was changed -->
</EventData>
</Event>MITRE ATT&CK mapping
| ID | Technique | Tactic |
|---|---|---|
T1562.001 | Impair Defenses: Disable or Modify Tools | Defense Evasion |
Recommended actions
- Inspect `New Value` immediately. If path exclusions (`ExclusionPath`) or process exclusions (`ExclusionProcess`) were added for temporary folders (`C:\ProgramData`, `C:\Windows\Temp`, `C:\Users\*`), treat as active defense evasion (`T1562.001`).