Sigma rule: ServiceDll Hijack

Rule

Title

ServiceDll Hijack

Status

test

Level

medium

Author

frack113

Date

2022-02-04

Modified

2026-08-31

File

rules/windows/registry/registry_set/registry_set_servicedll_hijack.yml

Commit

ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects changes to the "ServiceDLL" value related to a service in the registry.
This is often used as a method of persistence.

Log source

product

windows

category

registry_set

Detection

selection:
    TargetObject|contains|all:
        - '\System\'
        - 'ControlSet'
        - '\Services\'
    TargetObject|endswith: '\Parameters\ServiceDll'
filter_main_printextensionmanger_1:
    Details: 'C:\Windows\system32\spool\drivers\x64\3\PrintConfig.dll'
filter_main_printextensionmanger_2:
    Image|endswith: '\regsvr32.exe'
    TargetObject|endswith: '\Services\PrintNotify\Parameters\ServiceDll'
    Details|startswith: 'C:\WINDOWS\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\'
    Details|endswith: '\arm64\PrintConfig.dll'
filter_main_domain_controller:
    Image: 'C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe'
    TargetObject|endswith: '\Services\NTDS\Parameters\ServiceDll'
    Details: '%%systemroot%%\system32\ntdsa.dll'
filter_main_poqexec:
    Image: 'C:\Windows\System32\poqexec.exe'
filter_optional_safetica:
    Image|endswith: '\regsvr32.exe'
    Details: 'C:\Windows\System32\STAgent.dll'
condition: selection and not 1 of filter_main_* and not 1 of filter_optional_*

False positives (as the rule lists them)

• Administrative scripts
• Installation of a service

Tags

• attack.persistence
• attack.privilege-escalation
• attack.t1543.003

MITRE ATT&CK ids this rule names

• T1543.003

References

• https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1543.003/T1543.003.md#atomic-test-4---tinyturla-backdoor-service-w64time
• https://www.hexacorn.com/blog/2013/09/19/beyond-good-ol-run-key-part-4/

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/registry/registry_set/registry_set_servicedll_hijack.yml