Sigma rule: Service Registry Key Read Access Request

A detection rule from the SigmaHQ repository, shown as its author published it. Dataset version ref-68b9b3192d0f, updated 2023-09-28T00:00:00.000Z.

Rule

Title
Service Registry Key Read Access Request
Status
test
Level
low
Author
Center for Threat Informed Defense (CTID) Summiting the Pyramid Team
Date
2023-09-28
File
rules/windows/builtin/security/win_security_registry_permissions_weakness_check.yml
Commit
ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects "read access" requests on the services registry key.
Adversaries may execute their own malicious payloads by hijacking the Registry entries used by services.
Adversaries may use flaws in the permissions for Registry keys related to services to redirect from the originally specified executable to one that they control, in order to launch their own code when a service starts.

Log source

product
windows
service
security
definition
Requirements: SACLs must be enabled for "READ_CONTROL" on the registry keys used in this rule

Detection

selection:
    EventID: 4663
    ObjectName|contains|all:
        - '\SYSTEM\'
        - 'ControlSet\Services\'
    AccessList|contains: '%%1538' # READ_CONTROL
condition: selection

False positives (as the rule lists them)

  • Likely from legitimate applications reading their key. Requires heavy tuning

Tags

  • attack.persistence
  • attack.privilege-escalation
  • attack.execution
  • attack.stealth
  • attack.t1574.011

MITRE ATT&CK ids this rule names

References

Read on 2026-11-03T00:58:21.399Z under licence sigma-drl-1.1@d5f4c36a from https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules/windows/builtin/security/win_security_registry_permissions_weakness_check.yml

Sources and licences

  • SigmaHQ

    "Service Registry Key Read Access Request" by Center for Threat Informed Defense (CTID) Summiting the Pyramid Team (SigmaHQ). Rule: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules/windows/builtin/security/win_security_registry_permissions_weakness_check.yml.
    Licensed under the Detection Rule License (DRL) 1.1: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/Detection-Rule-License

    Detection Rule License (DRL) 1.1

Cite this page

Dragons Eye Ransomware Tracker, "Sigma rule: Service Registry Key Read Access Request",
entity page, dataset version ref-68b9b3192d0f, updated 2023-09-28T00:00:00.000Z,
https://ransomware-tracker.com/detections/sigma/11d00fff-5dc3-428c-8184-801f292faec0 (accessed 2026-11-03).
Underlying source: SigmaHQ rule 11d00fff-5dc3-428c-8184-801f292faec0, commit ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84.

Pages change. The dataset version identifies the data, but no archive of old versions is kept, so this citation cannot be replayed later.