Adversaries may interact with the Windows Registry to gather information about the system, configuration, and installed software.
The Registry contains a significant amount of information about the operating system, configuration, software, and security.[1] Information can easily be queried using the Reg utility, though other means to access the Registry exist. Some of the information may help adversaries to further their operation within a network. Adversaries may use the information from Query Registry during automated discovery to shape follow-on behaviors, including whether or not the adversary fully infects the target and/or attempts specific actions.
Top 9%of all ATT&CK techniques for number of groups
19 groups have been recorded using this technique. Newest first; each entry carries MITRE’s procedure text and a link to the group’s full record. Click a name to filter the rules below.
During Operation Wocao, the threat actors executed /c cd /d c:\windows\temp\ & reg query HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\<username>\PuTTY\Sessions\ to detect recent PuTTY sessions, likely to further lateral movement.1
2017–2019
All 1 campaigns for this technique
99 software entries are documented implementing this technique. MITRE files each as a tool or as malware; newest first, then by how many groups carry them.
MITRE names one behaviour worth catching for this technique and breaks it into 1 analytic, one per platform. Each carries the log sources it needs and the fields you tune per environment.
Detection of Registry Query for Environmental Discovery
Enterprise
1 platform
AN0589 · Windows
Registry read access associated with suspicious or non-interactive processes querying system config, installed software, or security settings.
Log sources
The data this analytic draws on. You do not need every component — each one you already collect covers part of it. Each links to its ATT&CK record.
MITRE calls these the analytic’s mutable elements: the thresholds and filters you set for your own environment.
Field
What you tune
TargetRegistryPath
Focus detection on registry hives or keys likely to reveal environment info (e.g., HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion).
ParentProcess
May tune for suspicious parent processes such as cmd.exe, wscript.exe, or mshta.exe.
TimeWindow
Controls how closely registry access must follow process creation for correlation.
3 analytics
Registry modifications are often essential in establishing persistence via known Windows mechanisms. Many legitimate modifications are done graphically via regedit.exe or by using the corresponding channels, or even calling the Registry APIs directly. The built-in utility reg.exe provides a command-line interface to the registry, so that queries and modifications can be performed from a shell, such as cmd.exe. When a user is responsible for these actions, the parent of cmd.exe will likely be explorer.exe. Occasionally, power users and administrators write scripts that do this behavior as well, but likely from a different process tree. These background scripts must be learned so they can be tuned out accordingly.
TypeTTPCoverageModerateSubmitted2013
D3FEND techniques
The defensive countermeasure this analytic implements, in MITRE’s D3FEND ontology.
Pseudocode is the canonical logic; the rest are CAR’s translations into vendor query languages.
To gain better context, it may be useful to also get information about the cmd process to know its parent. This may be helpful when tuning the analytic to an environment, if this behavior happens frequently. This may also help to rule out instances of users running
processes = search Process:Create
reg = filter processes where (exe == "reg.exe" and parent_exe == "cmd.exe")
cmd = filter processes where (exe == "cmd.exe" and parent_exe != "explorer.exe"")
reg_and_cmd = join (reg, cmd) where (reg.ppid == cmd.pid and reg.hostname == cmd.hostname)
output reg_and_cmd
DNIF version of the above pseudocode.
_fetch * from event where $LogName=WINDOWS-SYSMON AND $EventID=1 AND $Process=regex(.*reg\.exe.*)i AND $ParentProcess=regex(.*cmd\.exe.*)i as #A limit 100
>>_fetch * from event where $LogName=WINDOWS-SYSMON AND $EventID=1 AND $Process=regex(.*cmd\.exe.*)i NOT $ParentProcess=regex(.*explorer\.exe.*)i as #B limit 100
>>_checkif sjoin #B.$PPID = #A.$CPID str_compare #B.$SystemName eq #A.$SystemName include
Unit tests
CAR’s own validation procedures for this analytic.
Execute reg.exe from cmd.exe. Note that the analytic joins back to the grandparent process, which in this case is explorer.exe. The query time window must include the user log on. For example, if you logged in at 8am and tested the analytic at 10am, the query needs to search from 8am to 10am, not just at 10am. Within a command window, run the command.
["reg.exe QUERY HKLM\\Software\\Microsoft"]
Certain commands are frequently used by malicious actors and infrequently used by normal users. By looking for execution of these commands in short periods of time, we can not only see when a malicious user was on the system but also get an idea of what they were doing.
TypeTTPCoverageLowSubmitted2013
D3FEND techniques
The defensive countermeasure this analytic implements, in MITRE’s D3FEND ontology.
Pseudocode is the canonical logic; the rest are CAR’s translations into vendor query languages.
processes = search Process:Create
reg_processes = filter processes where (exe == "arp.exe" or exe == "at.exe" or exe == "attrib.exe"
or exe == "cscript.exe" or exe == "dsquery.exe" or exe == "hostname.exe"
or exe == "ipconfig.exe" or exe == "mimikatz.exe" or exe == "nbstat.exe"
or exe == "net.exe" or exe == "netsh.exe" or exe == "nslookup.exe"
or exe == "ping.exe" or exe == "quser.exe" or exe == "qwinsta.exe"
or exe == "reg.exe" or exe == "runas.exe" or exe == "sc.exe"
or exe == "schtasks.exe" or exe == "ssh.exe" or exe == "systeminfo.exe"
or exe == "taskkill.exe" or exe == "telnet.exe" or exe == "tracert.exe"
or exe == "wscript.exe" or exe == "xcopy.exe")
reg_grouped = group reg by hostname, ppid where(max time between two events is 30 minutes)
output reg_grouped
Sigma version of the above pseudocode, with some modifications.
DNIF version of the above pseudocode.
_fetch * from event where $LogName=WINDOWS-SYSMON AND $EventID=1 AND $App=regex(arp\.exe|at\.exe|attrib\.exe|cscript\.exe|dsquery\.exe|hostname\.exe|ipconfig\.exe|mimikatz.exe|nbstat\.exe|net\.exe|netsh\.exe|nslookup\.exe|ping\.exe|quser\.exe|qwinsta\.exe|reg\.exe|runas\.exe|sc\.exe|schtasks\.exe|ssh\.exe|systeminfo\.exe|taskkill\.exe|telnet\.exe|tracert\.exe|wscript\.exe|xcopy\.exe)i group count_unique $App limit 100
>>_agg count
>>_checkif int_compare Count > 1 include
LoLBAS are binaries and scripts that are built in to Windows, frequently are signed by Microsoft, and may be used by an attacker. Some LoLBAS are used very rarely and it might be possible to alert every time they're used (this would depend on your environment), but many others are very common and can't be simply alerted on.
TypeTTPCoverageLowSubmitted2020
D3FEND techniques
The defensive countermeasure this analytic implements, in MITRE’s D3FEND ontology.
Pseudocode is the canonical logic; the rest are CAR’s translations into vendor query languages.
Pseudocode version of the below Splunk query.
processes = search Process:Create
lolbas_processes = filter processes where (exe = "At.exe" OR exe = "Atbroker.exe" OR exe = "Bash.exe" OR exe = "Bitsadmin.exe" OR exe = "Certutil.exe" OR exe = "Cmd.exe" OR exe = "Cmdkey.exe" OR exe = "Cmstp.exe" OR exe = "Control.exe" OR exe = "Csc.exe" OR exe = "Cscript.exe" OR exe = "Dfsvc.exe" OR exe = "Diskshadow.exe" OR exe = "Dnscmd.exe" OR exe = "Esentutl.exe" OR exe = "Eventvwr.exe" OR exe = "Expand.exe" OR exe = "Extexport.exe" OR exe = "Extrac32.exe" OR exe = "Findstr.exe" OR exe = "Forfiles.exe" OR exe = "Ftp.exe" OR exe = "Gpscript.exe" OR exe = "Hh.exe" OR exe = "Ie4uinit.exe" OR exe = "Ieexec.exe" OR exe = "Infdefaultinstall.exe" OR exe = "Installutil.exe" OR exe = "Jsc.exe" OR exe = "Makecab.exe" OR exe = "Mavinject.exe" OR exe = "Microsoft.Workflow.r.exe" OR exe = "Mmc.exe" OR exe = "Msbuild.exe" OR exe = "Msconfig.exe" OR exe = "Msdt.exe" OR exe = "Mshta.exe" OR exe = "Msiexec.exe" OR exe = "Odbcconf.exe" OR exe = "Pcalua.exe" OR exe = "Pcwrun.exe" OR exe = "Presentationhost.exe" OR exe = "Print.exe" OR exe = "Reg.exe" OR exe = "Regasm.exe" OR exe = "Regedit.exe" OR exe = "Register-cimprovider.exe" OR exe = "Regsvcs.exe" OR exe = "Regsvr32.exe" OR exe = "Replace.exe" OR exe = "Rpcping.exe" OR exe = "Rundll32.exe" OR exe = "Runonce.exe" OR exe = "Runscripthelper.exe" OR exe = "Sc.exe" OR exe = "Schtasks.exe" OR exe = "Scriptrunner.exe" OR exe = "SyncAppvPublishingServer.exe" OR exe = "Tttracer.exe" OR exe = "Verclsid.exe" OR exe = "Wab.exe" OR exe = "Wmic.exe" OR exe = "Wscript.exe" OR exe = "Wsreset.exe" OR exe = "Xwizard.exe" OR exe = "Advpack.dll OR exe = "Comsvcs.dll OR exe = "Ieadvpack.dll OR exe = "Ieaframe.dll OR exe = "Mshtml.dll OR exe = "Pcwutl.dll OR exe = "Setupapi.dll OR exe = "Shdocvw.dll OR exe = "Shell32.dll OR exe = "Syssetup.dll OR exe = "Url.dll OR exe = "Zipfldr.dll OR exe = "Appvlp.exe" OR exe = "Bginfo.exe" OR exe = "Cdb.exe" OR exe = "csi.exe" OR exe = "Devtoolslauncher.exe" OR exe = "dnx.exe" OR exe = "Dxcap.exe" OR exe = "Excel.exe" OR exe = "Mftrace.exe" OR exe = "Msdeploy.exe" OR exe = "msxsl.exe" OR exe = "Powerpnt.exe" OR exe = "rcsi.exe" OR exe = "Sqler.exe" OR exe = "Sqlps.exe" OR exe = "SQLToolsPS.exe" OR exe = "Squirrel.exe" OR exe = "te.exe" OR exe = "Tracker.exe" OR exe = "Update.exe" OR exe = "vsjitdebugger.exe" OR exe = "Winword.exe" OR exe = "Wsl.exe" OR exe = "CL_Mutexverifiers.ps1 OR exe = "CL_Invocation.ps1 OR exe = "Manage-bde.wsf OR exe = "Pubprn.vbs OR exe = "Slmgr.vbs OR exe = "Syncappvpublishingserver.vbs OR exe = "winrm.vbs OR exe = "Pester.bat)
process_count = count(lolbas_processes) by process
process_count_avg = average(process_count)
process_count_stdev = standard_deviation(process_count)
lower_bound = process_count_avg - stdev * 1.5
outliers = filter lolbas_processes where (process_count < lower_bound)
return outliers
This Splunk query looks for instances of LoLBAS commands being executed, then stacks by rare command lines using a stddev.
index=__your_sysmon_index__ EventCode=1 (OriginalFileName = At.exe OR OriginalFileName = Atbroker.exe OR OriginalFileName = Bash.exe OR OriginalFileName = Bitsadmin.exe OR OriginalFileName = Certutil.exe OR OriginalFileName = Cmd.exe OR OriginalFileName = Cmdkey.exe OR OriginalFileName = Cmstp.exe OR OriginalFileName = Control.exe OR OriginalFileName = Csc.exe OR OriginalFileName = Cscript.exe OR OriginalFileName = Dfsvc.exe OR OriginalFileName = Diskshadow.exe OR OriginalFileName = Dnscmd.exe OR OriginalFileName = Esentutl.exe OR OriginalFileName = Eventvwr.exe OR OriginalFileName = Expand.exe OR OriginalFileName = Extexport.exe OR OriginalFileName = Extrac32.exe OR OriginalFileName = Findstr.exe OR OriginalFileName = Forfiles.exe OR OriginalFileName = Ftp.exe OR OriginalFileName = Gpscript.exe OR OriginalFileName = Hh.exe OR OriginalFileName = Ie4uinit.exe OR OriginalFileName = Ieexec.exe OR OriginalFileName = Infdefaultinstall.exe OR OriginalFileName = Installutil.exe OR OriginalFileName = Jsc.exe OR OriginalFileName = Makecab.exe OR OriginalFileName = Mavinject.exe OR OriginalFileName = Microsoft.Workflow.r.exe OR OriginalFileName = Mmc.exe OR OriginalFileName = Msbuild.exe OR OriginalFileName = Msconfig.exe OR OriginalFileName = Msdt.exe OR OriginalFileName = Mshta.exe OR OriginalFileName = Msiexec.exe OR OriginalFileName = Odbcconf.exe OR OriginalFileName = Pcalua.exe OR OriginalFileName = Pcwrun.exe OR OriginalFileName = Presentationhost.exe OR OriginalFileName = Print.exe OR OriginalFileName = Reg.exe OR OriginalFileName = Regasm.exe OR OriginalFileName = Regedit.exe OR OriginalFileName = Register-cimprovider.exe OR OriginalFileName = Regsvcs.exe OR OriginalFileName = Regsvr32.exe OR OriginalFileName = Replace.exe OR OriginalFileName = Rpcping.exe OR OriginalFileName = Rundll32.exe OR OriginalFileName = Runonce.exe OR OriginalFileName = Runscripthelper.exe OR OriginalFileName = Sc.exe OR OriginalFileName = Schtasks.exe OR OriginalFileName = Scriptrunner.exe OR OriginalFileName = SyncAppvPublishingServer.exe OR OriginalFileName = Tttracer.exe OR OriginalFileName = Verclsid.exe OR OriginalFileName = Wab.exe OR OriginalFileName = Wmic.exe OR OriginalFileName = Wscript.exe OR OriginalFileName = Wsreset.exe OR OriginalFileName = Xwizard.exe OR OriginalFileName = Advpack.dll OR OriginalFileName = Comsvcs.dll OR OriginalFileName = Ieadvpack.dll OR OriginalFileName = Ieaframe.dll OR OriginalFileName = Mshtml.dll OR OriginalFileName = Pcwutl.dll OR OriginalFileName = Setupapi.dll OR OriginalFileName = Shdocvw.dll OR OriginalFileName = Shell32.dll OR OriginalFileName = Syssetup.dll OR OriginalFileName = Url.dll OR OriginalFileName = Zipfldr.dll OR OriginalFileName = Appvlp.exe OR OriginalFileName = Bginfo.exe OR OriginalFileName = Cdb.exe OR OriginalFileName = csi.exe OR OriginalFileName = Devtoolslauncher.exe OR OriginalFileName = dnx.exe OR OriginalFileName = Dxcap.exe OR OriginalFileName = Excel.exe OR OriginalFileName = Mftrace.exe OR OriginalFileName = Msdeploy.exe OR OriginalFileName = msxsl.exe OR OriginalFileName = Powerpnt.exe OR OriginalFileName = rcsi.exe OR OriginalFileName = Sqler.exe OR OriginalFileName = Sqlps.exe OR OriginalFileName = SQLToolsPS.exe OR OriginalFileName = Squirrel.exe OR OriginalFileName = te.exe OR OriginalFileName = Tracker.exe OR OriginalFileName = Update.exe OR OriginalFileName = vsjitdebugger.exe OR OriginalFileName = Winword.exe OR OriginalFileName = Wsl.exe OR OriginalFileName = CL_Mutexverifiers.ps1 OR OriginalFileName = CL_Invocation.ps1 OR OriginalFileName = Manage-bde.wsf OR OriginalFileName = Pubprn.vbs OR OriginalFileName = Slmgr.vbs OR OriginalFileName = Syncappvpublishingserver.vbs OR OriginalFileName = winrm.vbs OR OriginalFileName = Pester.bat)|eval CommandLine=lower(CommandLine)|eventstats count(process) as procCount by process|eventstats avg(procCount) as avg stdev(procCount) as stdev|eval lowerBound=(avg-stdev*1.5)|eval isOutlier=if((procCount < lowerBound),1,0)|where isOutlier=1|table host, Image, ParentImage, CommandLine, ParentCommandLine, procCount
Tests6Executorscommand_prompt 4 · powershell 2Need elevation4 of 6Have prerequisites0Have cleanup1Platformswindows
#
Test
Platform
Executor
Elevation
Prereqs
Cleanup
Ref
01
Query Registry
windows
command_prompt
Required
—
—
Query Windows Registry.
Upon successful execution, cmd.exe will perform multiple reg queries. Some will succeed and others will fail (dependent upon OS).
References:
https://blog.cylance.com/windows-registry-persistence-part-2-the-run-keys-and-search-order
https://blog.cylance.com/windows-registry-persistence-part-1-introduction-attack-phases-and-windows-services
http://www.handgrep.se/repository/cheatsheets/postexploitation/WindowsPost-Exploitation.pdf
https://www.offensive-security.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/wp.Registry_Quick_Find_Chart.en_us.pdf
Attack Commandsrun with command_promptelevation required (root or admin)
Query Windows Registry with Powershell cmdlets, i.e., Get-Item and Get-ChildItem. The results from above can also be achieved with Get-Item and Get-ChildItem.
Unlike using "reg query" which then executes reg.exe, using cmdlets won't generate new processes, which may evade detection systems monitoring process generation.
Attack Commandsrun with powershellelevation required (root or admin)
This test is designed to enumerate the COM objects listed in HKCR, then output their methods and CLSIDs to a text file.
An adversary could then use this information to identify COM objects that might be vulnerable to abuse, such as using them to spawn arbitrary processes.
See: https://www.mandiant.com/resources/hunting-com-objects
The reg query commands allows to check the status of the AlwaysInstallElevated registry key for both the user and the machine. If both queries return a value of 0x1, then AlwaysInstallElevated is enabled for both user and machine thus allowing a regular user to install a Microsoft Windows Installer package with system level privileges. This can be abused by an attacker to escalate privileges in the host to SYSTEM level.
Attack Commandsrun with command_promptelevation required (root or admin)
Check Software Inventory Logging (SIL) status via Registry
windows
command_prompt
Required
—
—
Microsoft's Software Inventory Logging (SIL) collects information about software installed per host basis. Adversary can use such logs to passively
check for existence of software of interest to them. Status of SIL can be checked via registry.
Reference
Attack Commandsrun with command_promptelevation required (root or admin)
The objective of this test is to query the SystemStartOptions key under HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control in the Windows registry. This action could be used to uncover specific details about how the system is configured to start, potentially aiding in understanding boot parameters or identifying security-related settings. key is.
This detection uses Windows security events to detect suspicious access attempts to the registry key values and sub-keys of Azure AD Health service agents (e.g AD FS). (...)
Detects the usage of wmic.exe to enumerate or read Windows registry via the WMI StdRegProv class read methods (EnumKey, EnumValues, GetStringValue, etc.). (...)
The following analytic detects the execution of reg.exe with the "restore" parameter, indicating an attempt to restore registry backup data on a host. (...)