Sigma rule: Modify User Shell Folders Startup Value

Rule

Title

Modify User Shell Folders Startup Value

Status

test

Level

high

Author

frack113, Swachchhanda Shrawan Poudel (Nextron Systems)

Date

2022-10-01

Modified

2026-01-05

File

rules/windows/registry/registry_set/registry_set_susp_user_shell_folders.yml

Commit

ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detect modification of the User Shell Folders registry values for Startup or Common Startup which could indicate persistence attempts.
Attackers may modify User Shell Folders registry keys to point to malicious executables or scripts that will be executed during startup.
This technique is often used to maintain persistence on a compromised system by ensuring that the malicious payload is executed automatically.

Log source

product

windows

category

registry_set

Detection

selection:
    TargetObject|contains:
        - 'SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders'
        - 'SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders'
    TargetObject|endswith:
        - '\Common Startup'
        - '\Startup'
filter_main_details_null:
    Details: null
filter_main_programdata_startup:
    Details|contains:
        - 'C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup'
        - '%ProgramData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup'
filter_main_userprofile_startup_1:
    Details|contains:
        - '%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup'
        - '%%USERPROFILE%%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup'
filter_main_userprofile_startup_2:
    Details|contains|all:
        - 'C:\Users\'
        - '\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup'
# Apply more filters if new legitimate paths are identified
condition: selection and not 1 of filter_main_*

False positives (as the rule lists them)

• Unknown

Tags

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

MITRE ATT&CK ids this rule names

• T1547.001

Related rules

• 8f3ab69a-aa22-4943-aa58-e0a52fdf6818 (similar)

References

• https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/9e5b12c4912c07562aec7500447b11fa3e17e254/atomics/T1547.001/T1547.001.md
• https://www.welivesecurity.com/en/eset-research/muddywater-snakes-riverbank/

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_susp_user_shell_folders.yml