Sigma rule: Suspicious Shim Database Patching Activity

Rule

Title

Suspicious Shim Database Patching Activity

Status

test

Level

high

Author

Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems)

Date

2023-08-01

Modified

2023-12-06

File

rules/windows/registry/registry_set/registry_set_persistence_shim_database_susp_application.yml

Commit

ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects installation of new shim databases that try to patch sections of known processes for potential process injection or persistence.

Log source

product

windows

category

registry_set

Detection

selection:
    TargetObject|contains: '\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Custom\'
    TargetObject|endswith:
        # Note: add other application to increase coverage
        - '\csrss.exe'
        - '\dllhost.exe'
        - '\explorer.exe'
        - '\RuntimeBroker.exe'
        - '\services.exe'
        - '\sihost.exe'
        - '\svchost.exe'
        - '\taskhostw.exe'
        - '\winlogon.exe'
        - '\WmiPrvSe.exe'
condition: selection

False positives (as the rule lists them)

• Unknown

Tags

• attack.privilege-escalation
• attack.persistence
• attack.t1546.011

MITRE ATT&CK ids this rule names

• T1546.011

References

• https://www.trustwave.com/en-us/resources/blogs/spiderlabs-blog/pillowmint-fin7s-monkey-thief/
• https://www.fireeye.com/blog/threat-research/2017/05/fin7-shim-databases-persistence.html

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_persistence_shim_database_susp_application.yml