Sigma rule: Exports Critical Registry Keys To a File

A detection rule from the SigmaHQ repository, shown as its author published it. Dataset version ref-37463f17911e, updated 2024-03-13T00:00:00.000Z.

Rule

Title
Exports Critical Registry Keys To a File
Status
test
Level
high
Author
Oddvar Moe, Sander Wiebing, oscd.community
Date
2020-10-12
Modified
2024-03-13
File
rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_regedit_export_critical_keys.yml
Commit
ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects the export of a crital Registry key to a file.

Log source

product
windows
category
process_creation

Detection

selection_img:
    - Image|endswith: '\regedit.exe'
    - OriginalFileName: 'REGEDIT.EXE'
selection_cli_1:
    CommandLine|contains|windash: ' -E '
selection_cli_2:
    CommandLine|contains:
        - 'hklm'
        - 'hkey_local_machine'
selection_cli_3:
    CommandLine|endswith:
        - '\system'
        - '\sam'
        - '\security'
condition: all of selection_*

False positives (as the rule lists them)

  • Dumping hives for legitimate purpouse i.e. backup or forensic investigation

Tags

  • attack.exfiltration
  • attack.discovery
  • attack.t1012

MITRE ATT&CK ids this rule names

Related rules

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/process_creation/proc_creation_win_regedit_export_critical_keys.yml

Sources and licences

  • SigmaHQ

    "Exports Critical Registry Keys To a File" by Oddvar Moe, Sander Wiebing, oscd.community (SigmaHQ). Rule: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_regedit_export_critical_keys.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: Exports Critical Registry Keys To a File",
entity page, dataset version ref-37463f17911e, updated 2024-03-13T00:00:00.000Z,
https://ransomware-tracker.com/detections/sigma/82880171-b475-4201-b811-e9c826cd5eaa (accessed 2026-11-03).
Underlying source: SigmaHQ rule 82880171-b475-4201-b811-e9c826cd5eaa, 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.