Sigma rule: Sticky Key Like Backdoor Usage - Registry

A detection rule from the SigmaHQ repository, shown as its author published it. Dataset version ref-5f896b36efd0, updated 2022-11-26T00:00:00.000Z.

Rule

Title
Sticky Key Like Backdoor Usage - Registry
Status
test
Level
critical
Author
Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), @twjackomo, Jonhnathan Ribeiro, oscd.community
Date
2018-03-15
Modified
2022-11-26
File
rules/windows/registry/registry_event/registry_event_stickykey_like_backdoor.yml
Commit
ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects the usage and installation of a backdoor that uses an option to register a malicious debugger for built-in tools that are accessible in the login screen

Log source

product
windows
category
registry_event

Detection

selection_registry:
    TargetObject|endswith:
        - '\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\sethc.exe\Debugger'
        - '\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\utilman.exe\Debugger'
        - '\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\osk.exe\Debugger'
        - '\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\Magnify.exe\Debugger'
        - '\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\Narrator.exe\Debugger'
        - '\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\DisplaySwitch.exe\Debugger'
        - '\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\atbroker.exe\Debugger'
        - '\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\HelpPane.exe\Debugger'
condition: selection_registry

False positives (as the rule lists them)

  • Unlikely

Tags

  • attack.privilege-escalation
  • attack.persistence
  • attack.t1546.008
  • car.2014-11-003
  • car.2014-11-008

MITRE ATT&CK ids this rule names

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/registry/registry_event/registry_event_stickykey_like_backdoor.yml

Sources and licences

  • SigmaHQ

    "Sticky Key Like Backdoor Usage - Registry" by Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), @twjackomo, Jonhnathan Ribeiro, oscd.community (SigmaHQ). Rule: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules/windows/registry/registry_event/registry_event_stickykey_like_backdoor.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: Sticky Key Like Backdoor Usage - Registry",
entity page, dataset version ref-5f896b36efd0, updated 2022-11-26T00:00:00.000Z,
https://ransomware-tracker.com/detections/sigma/baca5663-583c-45f9-b5dc-ea96a22ce542 (accessed 2026-11-03).
Underlying source: SigmaHQ rule baca5663-583c-45f9-b5dc-ea96a22ce542, 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.