Detection rules › Splunk

Windows Modify Registry Auto Update Notif

Author
Teoderick Contreras, Splunk
Source
upstream

The following analytic detects a suspicious modification to the Windows registry that changes the auto-update notification setting to "Notify before download." This detection leverages data from the Endpoint.Registry data model, focusing on specific registry paths and values. This activity is significant because it is a known technique used by adversaries, including malware like RedLine Stealer, to evade detection and potentially deploy additional payloads. If confirmed malicious, this modification could allow attackers to bypass security measures, maintain persistence, and exploit vulnerabilities on the target host.

MITRE ATT&CK coverage

TacticTechniques
PersistenceT1112 Modify Registry
Defense EvasionT1112 Modify Registry

Event coverage

ProviderEvent IDTitle
Sysmon13RegistryEvent (Value Set)

Stages and Predicates

Stage 1: tstats

tstats WHERE Registry.registry_path="*\\SOFTWARE\\Policies\\Microsoft\\Windows\\WindowsUpdate\\AU\\AUOptions" Registry.registry_value_data="0x00000002" BY Registry.action, Registry.dest, Registry.process_guid, Registry.process_id, Registry.registry_hive, Registry.registry_path, Registry.registry_key_name, Registry.registry_value_data, Registry.registry_value_name, Registry.registry_value_type, Registry.status, Registry.user, Registry.vendor_product

Stage 2: search

search

Stage 3: search

search

Stage 4: search

search

Stage 5: search

search `macro`

Indicators

Each row is a field, operator, and value that the rule matches. The corpus column counts how many other rules in the catalog look for the same combination: high numbers point to widely-used, community-vetted indicators. Blank or 1 shows that the indicator is specific to this rule.

FieldKindValues
Registry.registry_patheq
  • "*\\SOFTWARE\\Policies\\Microsoft\\Windows\\WindowsUpdate\\AU\\AUOptions"
Registry.registry_value_dataeq
  • "0x00000002"