Sigma rule: Potential Persistence Via Shim Database Modification

Rule

Title

Potential Persistence Via Shim Database Modification

Status

test

Level

medium

Author

frack113

Date

2021-12-30

Modified

2025-10-22

File

rules/windows/registry/registry_set/registry_set_persistence_shim_database.yml

Commit

ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Adversaries may establish persistence and/or elevate privileges by executing malicious content triggered by application shims.
The Microsoft Windows Application Compatibility Infrastructure/Framework (Application Shim) was created to allow for backward compatibility of software as the operating system codebase changes over time

Log source

product

windows

category

registry_set

Detection

selection:
    TargetObject|contains:
        - '\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\InstalledSDB\'
        - '\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Custom\'
filter_main_empty_string:
    Details: ''
filter_main_empty_value:
    Details: '(Empty)'
filter_main_null:
    Details: null
condition: selection and not 1 of filter_main_*

False positives (as the rule lists them)

• Legitimate custom SHIM installations will also trigger this rule

Tags

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

MITRE ATT&CK ids this rule names

• T1546.011

References

• https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1546.011/T1546.011.md#atomic-test-3---registry-key-creation-andor-modification-events-for-sdb
• https://www.fireeye.com/blog/threat-research/2017/05/fin7-shim-databases-persistence.html
• https://andreafortuna.org/2018/11/12/process-injection-and-persistence-using-application-shimming/

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.yml