Potential Persistence Attempt Via Run Keys Using Reg.EXE

Hunt Hypothesis

Detects suspicious command line reg.exe tool adding key to RUN key in Registry

Detection Rule

Sigma (Original)

title: Potential Persistence Attempt Via Run Keys Using Reg.EXE
id: de587dce-915e-4218-aac4-835ca6af6f70
status: test
description: Detects suspicious command line reg.exe tool adding key to RUN key in Registry
references:
    - https://app.any.run/tasks/9c0f37bc-867a-4314-b685-e101566766d7/
    - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/setupapi/run-and-runonce-registry-keys
    - https://github.com/HackTricks-wiki/hacktricks/blob/e4c7b21b8f36c97c35b7c622732b38a189ce18f7/src/windows-hardening/windows-local-privilege-escalation/privilege-escalation-with-autorun-binaries.md
author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), Swachchhanda Shrawan Poudel (Nextron Systems)
date: 2021-06-28
modified: 2025-02-17
tags:
    - attack.privilege-escalation
    - attack.persistence
    - attack.t1547.001
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection:
        Image|endswith: '\reg.exe'
        CommandLine|contains|all:
            - 'reg'
            - ' add '
        CommandLine|contains:
            - 'Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run'
            - '\Software\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run'
            - '\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\Run'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate software automatically (mostly, during installation) sets up autorun keys for legitimate reasons.
    - Legitimate administrator sets up autorun keys for legitimate reasons.
    - Discord
level: medium
regression_tests_path: regression_data/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_reg_add_run_key/info.yml

KQL (Azure Sentinel)

imProcessCreate
| where TargetProcessName endswith "\\reg.exe" and (TargetProcessCommandLine contains "reg" and TargetProcessCommandLine contains " add ") and (TargetProcessCommandLine contains "Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Run" or TargetProcessCommandLine contains "\\Software\\WOW6432Node\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Run" or TargetProcessCommandLine contains "\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Policies\\Explorer\\Run")

Required Data Sources

False Positive Guidance

• Legitimate software automatically (mostly, during installation) sets up autorun keys for legitimate reasons.
• Legitimate administrator sets up autorun keys for legitimate reasons.
• Discord

MITRE ATT&CK Context

• Tactic: Privilege Escalation
• Tactic: Persistence
• Technique: T1547.001 — T1547.001

References

• https://app.any.run/tasks/9c0f37bc-867a-4314-b685-e101566766d7/
• https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/setupapi/run-and-runonce-registry-keys
• https://github.com/HackTricks-wiki/hacktricks/blob/e4c7b21b8f36c97c35b7c622732b38a189ce18f7/src/windows-hardening/windows-local-privilege-escalation/privilege-escalation-with-autorun-binaries.md
• SigmaHQ Rule