Examples of the present disclosure describe systems and methods for behavioral threat detection definition compilation. In an example, one or more sets of rule instructions may be packaged for distribution and/or use by a behavioral threat detection engine. As an example, a set of rule instructions is compiled into an intermediate language and assembled in to a compiled behavior rule binary. Event linking is performed, wherein other rules launched by the rule and/or events that launch the rule or are processed by the rule are identified, and such information may be stored accordingly. The behavior rule binary may be packaged with other rules associated with identifying a specific behavior. The packaged behavior rule is distributed to one or more computing devices for use with a behavioral threat detection engine. For example, the threat detection engine may execute the behavior rule using a rule virtual machine.