Sigma rule: Potential AutoLogger Sessions Tampering

Rule

Title

Potential AutoLogger Sessions Tampering

Status

test

Level

high

Author

Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems)

Date

2022-08-01

Modified

2025-12-26

File

rules/windows/registry/registry_set/registry_set_disable_autologger_sessions.yml

Commit

ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects tampering with autologger trace sessions which is a technique used by attackers to disable logging.
The AutoLogger event tracing session records events up that occur early in the operating system boot process.
Applications and device drivers can use the AutoLogger session to capture traces before the user logs in, and also used by security solutions as telemetry source.
Adversaries may disable these sessions to evade detection and prevent security monitoring of early boot activities and system events.

Log source

product

windows

category

registry_set

Detection

selection_main:
    TargetObject|contains: '\Control\WMI\Autologger\'
selection_values:
    TargetObject|contains: # We only care about some autologger to avoid FP. Add more if you need
        - '\EventLog-'
        - '\Defender'
    TargetObject|endswith:
        - '\Enabled'
        - '\Start'
    Details: DWORD (0x00000000)
filter_main_wevtutil:
    Image: 'C:\Windows\system32\wevtutil.exe'
filter_main_defender:
    Image|startswith:
        - 'C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Platform\'
        - 'C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\'
        - 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Defender\'
    Image|endswith: '\MsMpEng.exe'
    TargetObject|contains:
        - '\DefenderApiLogger\'
        - '\DefenderAuditLogger\'
condition: all of selection_* and not 1 of filter_main_*

False positives (as the rule lists them)

• Unknown

Tags

• attack.defense-impairment
• attack.t1685.001

MITRE ATT&CK ids this rule names

• T1685.001

Related rules

• d7b81144-b866-48a4-9bcc-275dc69d870e (similar)

References

• https://twitter.com/MichalKoczwara/status/1553634816016498688
• https://thedfirreport.com/2021/10/18/icedid-to-xinglocker-ransomware-in-24-hours/
• https://i.blackhat.com/EU-21/Wednesday/EU-21-Teodorescu-Veni-No-Vidi-No-Vici-Attacks-On-ETW-Blind-EDRs.pdf
• https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/etw/configuring-and-starting-an-autologger-session
• https://blog.palantir.com/tampering-with-windows-event-tracing-background-offense-and-defense-4be7ac62ac63

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_disable_autologger_sessions.yml