The Windows Firewall policy has changed when rule added

// EVENT DEFINITION:

A new local or Group Policy firewall rule was added to the Windows Filtering Platform (`WFP`).

// DETAILED TELEMETRY & CONTEXT:

Event ID 4944 records the creation of a new Windows Firewall rule (`Rule Name`, `Rule ID`, `Direction`, `Action`). When adversaries deploy remote access backdoors or bind custom command-and-control listeners on internal servers, they run `netsh advfirewall` or PowerShell `New-NetFirewallRule` (`4944` / `4946`) to open inbound TCP/UDP ports through the local host firewall.

[ ! ]Failure Reason / Root Cause Analysis

Windows Firewall rule creation (`RuleName` added allowing/blocking traffic).

Operational Metadata & Applicability

Log Category:Windows Firewall

Audit Type Classification:Success Audit

Supported Operating Systems:Windows Server 2016, 2019, 2022 / Windows Client 10, 11 (Enterprise / Pro)

Threat Hunting Keywords:

4944firewall policy changed rule addednew-netfirewallruleadvfirewall rule createdport openedt1562.004

MITRE ATT&CK Framework Alignment

T1562.004

Impair Defenses: Disable or Modify System FirewallTactic: Defense Evasion

T1543

Create or Modify System ProcessTactic: Persistence

Mitigation Playbook & Recommended SOC Actions

•Inspect `Direction` and `Action`. If an inbound rule (`Inbound`) allowing traffic (`Allow`) to uncommon ports (e.g., `4444`, `8888`, `1337`) is added on production endpoints, investigate immediately for C2 listener deployment.

Representative Windows Event XML Schema

<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>4944</EventID>
    <Version>0</Version>
    <Level>0</Level>
    <Task>12544</Task>
    <Opcode>0</Opcode>
    <Keywords>0x8020000000000000</Keywords>
    <TimeCreated SystemTime="2026-07-17T09:54:44.343Z" />
    <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 The Windows Firewall policy has changed when rule added -->
  </EventData>
</Event>

Correlated / Related Security Event IDs

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