Sigma rule: Registry Enumeration via WMI Stdregprov

Rule

Title

Registry Enumeration via WMI Stdregprov

Status

experimental

Level

medium

Author

Swachchhanda Shrawan Poudel (Nextron Systems)

Date

2025-07-30

Modified

2026-06-19

File

rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_wmic_stdregprov_reg_enumeration.yml

Commit

ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects the usage of wmic.exe to enumerate or read Windows registry via the WMI StdRegProv class read methods (EnumKey, EnumValues, GetStringValue, etc.).
While registry reads are common, attackers may use this technique to perform reconnaissance and discover sensitive configuration values, credentials, or installed software.
The use of WMI as an alternative to standard tools like reg.exe can indicate an attempt to evade detection focused on traditional registry query commands.

Log source

product

windows

category

process_creation

Detection

selection_img:   # Example command simulated:  WMIC  /NameSpace:\\root\default Class StdRegProv Call EnumKey hDefKey=&H80000002 sSubKeyName="Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall"
    - Image|endswith: '\wmic.exe'
    - OriginalFileName: 'wmic.exe'
selection_cli:
    CommandLine|contains|all:
        - 'stdregprov'
        - 'call'
    CommandLine|contains:
        - 'CheckAccess'
        - 'EnumKey'
        - 'EnumValues'
        - 'GetBinaryValue'
        - 'GetDWORDValue'
        - 'GetExpandedStringValue'
        - 'GetMultiStringValue'
        - 'GetQWORDValue'
        - 'GetSecurityDescriptor'
        - 'GetStringValue'
condition: all of selection_*

False positives (as the rule lists them)

• Legitimate administrative activity

Tags

• attack.execution
• attack.t1047
• attack.discovery
• attack.t1012

MITRE ATT&CK ids this rule names

• T1012
• T1047

Related rules

• c453ab7a-1f5c-4716-a3b4-dea8135fb43a (similar)

References

• https://trustedsec.com/blog/command-line-underdog-wmic-in-action
• https://trustedsec.com/blog/wmi-for-script-kiddies
• https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/desktop/regprov/stdregprov

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_wmic_stdregprov_reg_enumeration.yml