IMPORTANT: No additional bug fixes or documentation updates
will be released for this version. For the latest information, see the
current release documentation.
Potential Port Monitor or Print Processor Registration Abuse
editPotential Port Monitor or Print Processor Registration Abuse
editIdentifies port monitor and print processor registry modifications. Adversaries may abuse port monitor and print processors to run malicious DLLs during system boot that will be executed as SYSTEM for privilege escalation and/or persistence, if permissions allow writing a fully-qualified pathname for that DLL.
Rule type: eql
Rule indices:
- logs-endpoint.events.registry-*
- endgame-*
- logs-m365_defender.event-*
Severity: medium
Risk score: 47
Runs every: 5m
Searches indices from: now-9m (Date Math format, see also Additional look-back time)
Maximum alerts per execution: 100
References:
Tags:
- Domain: Endpoint
- OS: Windows
- Use Case: Threat Detection
- Tactic: Privilege Escalation
- Data Source: Elastic Endgame
- Data Source: Elastic Defend
- Data Source: Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Version: 108
Rule authors:
- Elastic
Rule license: Elastic License v2
Rule query
editregistry where host.os.type == "windows" and event.type == "change" and
registry.path : (
"HKLM\\SYSTEM\\*ControlSet*\\Control\\Print\\Monitors\\*",
"HKLM\\SYSTEM\\*ControlSet*\\Control\\Print\\Environments\\Windows*\\Print Processors\\*",
"\\REGISTRY\\MACHINE\\SYSTEM\\*ControlSet*\\Control\\Print\\Monitors\\*",
"\\REGISTRY\\MACHINE\\SYSTEM\\*ControlSet*\\Control\\Print\\Environments\\Windows*\\Print Processors\\*"
) and registry.data.strings : "*.dll" and
/* exclude SYSTEM SID - look for changes by non-SYSTEM user */
not user.id : "S-1-5-18"
Framework: MITRE ATT&CKTM
-
Tactic:
- Name: Privilege Escalation
- ID: TA0004
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0004/
-
Technique:
- Name: Boot or Logon Autostart Execution
- ID: T1547
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1547/
-
Sub-technique:
- Name: Port Monitors
- ID: T1547.010
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1547/010/
-
Sub-technique:
- Name: Print Processors
- ID: T1547.012
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1547/012/
-
Tactic:
- Name: Persistence
- ID: TA0003
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0003/
-
Technique:
- Name: Boot or Logon Autostart Execution
- ID: T1547
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1547/
-
Sub-technique:
- Name: Port Monitors
- ID: T1547.010
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1547/010/
-
Sub-technique:
- Name: Print Processors
- ID: T1547.012
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1547/012/