Sigma rule: Direct Autorun Keys Modification

Rule

Title

Direct Autorun Keys Modification

Status

test

Level

medium

Author

Victor Sergeev, Daniil Yugoslavskiy, oscd.community, Swachchhanda Shrawan Poudel (Nextron Systems)

Date

2019-10-25

Modified

2026-01-05

File

rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_reg_direct_asep_registry_keys_modification.yml

Commit

ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects direct modification of autostart extensibility point (ASEP) in registry using reg.exe.

Log source

product

windows

category

process_creation

Detection

selection_img:
    - Image|endswith: '\reg.exe'
    - OriginalFileName: 'reg.exe'
selection_cli_add:
    CommandLine|contains: 'add'     # to avoid intersection with discovery tactic rules
selection_cli_keys:
    CommandLine|contains:           # need to improve this list, there are plenty of ASEP reg keys
        - '\software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run' # Also covers the strings "RunOnce", "RunOnceEx", "RunServices", "RunServicesOnce"
        - '\software\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run'
        - '\software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\Run'
        - '\software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Userinit'
        - '\software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Shell'
        - '\software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows'
        - '\system\CurrentControlSet\Control\SafeBoot\AlternateShell'
condition: all of selection_*

False positives (as the rule lists them)

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

Tags

• attack.privilege-escalation
• attack.persistence
• attack.t1547.001

MITRE ATT&CK ids this rule names

• T1547.001

References

• https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1547.001/T1547.001.md
• https://github.com/HackTricks-wiki/hacktricks/blob/e4c7b21b8f36c97c35b7c622732b38a189ce18f7/src/windows-hardening/windows-local-privilege-escalation/privilege-escalation-with-autorun-binaries.md

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/process_creation/proc_creation_win_reg_direct_asep_registry_keys_modification.yml