IMPORTANT: No additional bug fixes or documentation updates will be released for this version. For the latest information, see the current release documentation.

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Uncommon Registry Persistence Change

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Uncommon Registry Persistence Change

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Detects changes to registry persistence keys that are uncommonly used or modified by legitimate programs. This could be an indication of an adversary’s attempt to persist in a stealthy manner.

Rule type: eql

Rule indices:

winlogbeat-*
logs-endpoint.events.*
logs-windows.*

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:

https://www.microsoftpressstore.com/articles/article.aspx?p=2762082&seqNum=2

Tags:

Elastic
Host
Windows
Threat Detection
Persistence

Version: 4

Rule authors:

Elastic

Rule license: Elastic License v2

Rule query

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registry where
  /* uncomment once stable length(registry.data.strings) > 0 and */
 registry.path : (
      "HKLM\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows NT\\CurrentVersion\\Terminal Server\\Install\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Run\\*",
      "HKLM\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows NT\\CurrentVersion\\Terminal Server\\Install\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Runonce\\*",
      "HKEY_USERS\\*\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows NT\\CurrentVersion\\Windows\\Load",
      "HKEY_USERS\\*\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows NT\\CurrentVersion\\Windows\\Run",
      "HKLM\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows NT\\CurrentVersion\\Windows\\IconServiceLib",
      "HKLM\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows NT\\CurrentVersion\\Winlogon\\Shell",
      "HKEY_USERS\\*\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows NT\\CurrentVersion\\Winlogon\\Shell",
      "HKLM\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows NT\\CurrentVersion\\Winlogon\\AppSetup",
      "HKLM\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows NT\\CurrentVersion\\Winlogon\\Taskman",
      "HKLM\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows NT\\CurrentVersion\\Winlogon\\Userinit",
      "HKLM\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows NT\\CurrentVersion\\Winlogon\\VmApplet",
      "HKLM\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Policies\\Explorer\\Run\\*",
      "HKLM\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Policies\\System\\Shell",
      "HKLM\\SOFTWARE\\Policies\\Microsoft\\Windows\\System\\Scripts\\Logoff\\Script",
      "HKLM\\SOFTWARE\\Policies\\Microsoft\\Windows\\System\\Scripts\\Logon\\Script",
      "HKLM\\SOFTWARE\\Policies\\Microsoft\\Windows\\System\\Scripts\\Shutdown\\Script",
      "HKLM\\SOFTWARE\\Policies\\Microsoft\\Windows\\System\\Scripts\\Startup\\Script",
      "HKEY_USERS\\*\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Policies\\Explorer\\Run\\*",
      "HKEY_USERS\\*\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Policies\\System\\Shell",
      "HKEY_USERS\\*\\SOFTWARE\\Policies\\Microsoft\\Windows\\System\\Scripts\\Logoff\\Script",
      "HKEY_USERS\\*\\SOFTWARE\\Policies\\Microsoft\\Windows\\System\\Scripts\\Logon\\Script",
      "HKEY_USERS\\*\\SOFTWARE\\Policies\\Microsoft\\Windows\\System\\Scripts\\Shutdown\\Script",
      "HKEY_USERS\\*\\SOFTWARE\\Policies\\Microsoft\\Windows\\System\\Scripts\\Startup\\Script",
      "HKLM\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Active Setup\\Installed Components\\*\\ShellComponent",
      "HKLM\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows CE Services\\AutoStartOnConnect\\MicrosoftActiveSync",
      "HKLM\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows CE Services\\AutoStartOnDisconnect\\MicrosoftActiveSync",
      "HKLM\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Ctf\\LangBarAddin\\*\\FilePath",
      "HKLM\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Internet Explorer\\Extensions\\*\\Exec",
      "HKLM\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Internet Explorer\\Extensions\\*\\Script",
      "HKLM\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Command Processor\\Autorun",
      "HKEY_USERS\\*\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Ctf\\LangBarAddin\\*\\FilePath",
      "HKEY_USERS\\*\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Internet Explorer\\Extensions\\*\\Exec",
      "HKEY_USERS\\*\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Internet Explorer\\Extensions\\*\\Script",
      "HKEY_USERS\\*\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Command Processor\\Autorun",
      "HKLM\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows NT\\CurrentVersion\\Image File Execution Options\\*\\VerifierDlls",
      "HKLM\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows NT\\CurrentVersion\\Winlogon\\GpExtensions\\*\\DllName",
      "HKLM\\SYSTEM\\ControlSet*\\Control\\SafeBoot\\AlternateShell",
      "HKLM\\SYSTEM\\ControlSet*\\Control\\Terminal Server\\Wds\\rdpwd\\StartupPrograms",
      "HKLM\\SYSTEM\\ControlSet*\\Control\\Terminal Server\\WinStations\\RDP-Tcp\\InitialProgram",
      "HKLM\\SYSTEM\\ControlSet*\\Control\\Session Manager\\BootExecute",
      "HKLM\\SYSTEM\\ControlSet*\\Control\\Session Manager\\SetupExecute",
      "HKLM\\SYSTEM\\ControlSet*\\Control\\Session Manager\\Execute",
      "HKLM\\SYSTEM\\ControlSet*\\Control\\Session Manager\\S0InitialCommand",
      "HKLM\\SYSTEM\\ControlSet*\\Control\\ServiceControlManagerExtension",
      "HKLM\\SYSTEM\\ControlSet*\\Control\\BootVerificationProgram\\ImagePath",
      "HKLM\\SYSTEM\\Setup\\CmdLine",
      "HKEY_USERS\\*\\Environment\\UserInitMprLogonScript") and

 not registry.data.strings : ("C:\\Windows\\system32\\userinit.exe", "cmd.exe", "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\*.exe",
                              "C:\\Program Files\\*.exe") and
 not (process.name : "rundll32.exe" and registry.path : "*\\Software\\Microsoft\\Internet Explorer\\Extensions\\*\\Script") and
 not process.executable : ("C:\\Windows\\System32\\msiexec.exe",
                           "C:\\Windows\\SysWOW64\\msiexec.exe",
                           "C:\\ProgramData\\Microsoft\\Windows Defender\\Platform\\*\\MsMpEng.exe",
                           "C:\\Program Files\\*.exe",
                           "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\*.exe")

Framework: MITRE ATT&CK^TM

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: Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder
- ID: T1547.001
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1547/001/
Tactic:
- Name: Defense Evasion
- ID: TA0005
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0005/
Technique:
- Name: Modify Registry
- ID: T1112
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1112/

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