Detection: Windows Deleted Registry By A Non Critical Process File Path

Description

The following analytic detects the deletion of registry keys by non-critical processes. It leverages Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) data, focusing on registry deletion events and correlating them with processes not typically associated with system or program files. This activity is significant as it may indicate malware, such as the Double Zero wiper, attempting to evade defenses or cause destructive payload impacts. If confirmed malicious, this behavior could lead to significant system damage, loss of critical configurations, and potential disruption of services.

1
2| tstats prestats=t `security_content_summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime FROM datamodel=Endpoint.Processes where Processes.process_path IN ("*\\windows\\*", "*\\program files*") by Processes.action Processes.dest Processes.original_file_name Processes.parent_process Processes.parent_process_exec Processes.parent_process_guid Processes.parent_process_id Processes.parent_process_name Processes.parent_process_path Processes.process Processes.process_exec Processes.process_guid Processes.process_hash Processes.process_id Processes.process_integrity_level Processes.process_name Processes.process_path Processes.user Processes.user_id Processes.vendor_product 
3| `drop_dm_object_name(Processes)` 
4| tstats prestats=t append=t `security_content_summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime FROM datamodel=Endpoint.Registry where Registry.action=deleted 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 
5| `drop_dm_object_name(Registry)` 
6| table action dest original_file_name parent_process parent_process_exec parent_process_guid parent_process_id parent_process_name parent_process_path process process_exec process_guid process_hash process_id process_integrity_level process_name process_path user user_id vendor_product registry_hive registry_path registry_key_name registry_value_data registry_value_name registry_value_type status 
7| stats values(action) as action values(dest) as dest values(original_file_name) as original_file_name values(parent_process) as parent_process values(parent_process_exec) as parent_process_exec values(parent_process_guid) as parent_process_guid values(parent_process_id) as parent_process_id values(parent_process_name) as parent_process_name values(parent_process_path) as parent_process_path values(process) as process values(process_exec) as process_exec values(process_hash) as process_hash values(process_id) as process_id values(process_integrity_level) as process_integrity_level values(process_name) as process_name values(process_path) as process_path values(user) as user values(user_id) as user_id values(vendor_product) as vendor_product values(registry_hive) as registry_hive values(registry_path) as registry_path values(registry_key_name) as registry_key_name values(registry_value_data) as registry_value_data values(registry_value_name) as registry_value_name values(registry_value_type) as registry_value_type values(status) as status by process_guid 
8| where isnotnull(process_path) AND isnotnull(registry_value_name) 
9| `windows_deleted_registry_by_a_non_critical_process_file_path_filter`

Data Source

Name Platform Sourcetype Source
Sysmon EventID 1 Windows icon Windows 'xmlwineventlog' 'XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational'
Sysmon EventID 12 Windows icon Windows 'xmlwineventlog' 'XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational'
Sysmon EventID 13 Windows icon Windows 'xmlwineventlog' 'XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational'

Macros Used

Name Value
security_content_summariesonly summariesonly=summariesonly_config allow_old_summaries=oldsummaries_config fillnull_value=fillnull_config``
windows_deleted_registry_by_a_non_critical_process_file_path_filter search *
windows_deleted_registry_by_a_non_critical_process_file_path_filter is an empty macro by default. It allows the user to filter out any results (false positives) without editing the SPL.

Annotations

- MITRE ATT&CK
+ Kill Chain Phases
+ NIST
+ CIS
- Threat Actors
ID Technique Tactic
T1112 Modify Registry Defense Evasion
Exploitation
DE.AE
CIS 10

Default Configuration

This detection is configured by default in Splunk Enterprise Security to run with the following settings:

Setting Value
Disabled true
Cron Schedule 0 * * * *
Earliest Time -70m@m
Latest Time -10m@m
Schedule Window auto
Creates Risk Event True
This configuration file applies to all detections of type anomaly. These detections will use Risk Based Alerting.

Implementation

The detection is based on data that originates from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agents. These agents are designed to provide security-related telemetry from the endpoints where the agent is installed. To implement this search, you must ingest logs that contain the process GUID, process name, and parent process. Additionally, you must ingest complete command-line executions. These logs must be processed using the appropriate Splunk Technology Add-ons that are specific to the EDR product. The logs must also be mapped to the Processes node of the Endpoint data model. Use the Splunk Common Information Model (CIM) to normalize the field names and speed up the data modeling process.

Known False Positives

This detection can catch for third party application updates or installation. In this scenario false positive filter is needed.

Associated Analytic Story

Risk Based Analytics (RBA)

Risk Message:

The registry was deleted by a suspicious process named $process_name$ with the process path $process_path$ on dest $dest$.

Risk Object Risk Object Type Risk Score Threat Objects
dest system 36 No Threat Objects

References

Detection Testing

Test Type Status Dataset Source Sourcetype
Validation Passing N/A N/A N/A
Unit Passing Dataset XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational XmlWinEventLog
Integration ✅ Passing Dataset XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational XmlWinEventLog

Replay any dataset to Splunk Enterprise by using our replay.py tool or the UI. Alternatively you can replay a dataset into a Splunk Attack Range


Source: GitHub | Version: 6