---
title: Windows password protected ZIP file opened with suspicious email attachments
description: Datadog, the leading service for cloud-scale monitoring.
breadcrumbs: >-
  Docs > Datadog Security > OOTB Rules > Windows password protected ZIP file
  opened with suspicious email attachments
---

# Windows password protected ZIP file opened with suspicious email attachments

{% alert level="danger" %}
This rule is part of a beta feature. To learn more, [contact Support](https://docs.datadoghq.com/help/).
{% /alert %}
Classification:attackTactic:[TA0005-defense-evasion](https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0005)Technique:[T1566-phishing](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1566) 
## Goal{% #goal %}

Detects users opening password-protected ZIP files that have been received as email attachments.

## Strategy{% #strategy %}

This rule monitors Windows event ID `5379` for shell extension handler operations involving ZIP folders in Outlook's temporary directories. It tracks when `@Event.EventData.Data.TargetName` contains any of the following strings in the path: `Microsoft_Windows_Shell_ZipFolder`, `Content.Outlook`, `Files`, or `Temporary`.

Password-protected archives bypass email security scanning capabilities, allowing malicious content to reach endpoints without inspection. When extracted, this content may execute and compromise systems.

## Triage & Response{% #triage--response %}

- Examine the source email and sender details on `{{host}}` to determine legitimacy.
- Confirm if the password-protected attachment was expected from a trusted source.
- Analyze extracted file contents and subsequent process executions.
- Check for network connections established after the archive extraction.
- Identify similar password-protected attachments sent to other users.
- Block the sender domain if determined to be malicious.
- Isolate `{{host}}` if malicious content is confirmed.