Windows Modify Registry Disable Win Defender Raw Write Notif

name: Windows Modify Registry Disable Win Defender Raw Write Notif
id: 0e5e25c3-32f4-46f7-ba4a-5b95c3b90f5b
version: 9
date: '2026-03-10'
author: Teoderick Contreras, Splunk
status: production
type: Anomaly
description: The following analytic detects modifications to the Windows registry that disable the Windows Defender raw write notification feature. It leverages data from the Endpoint.Registry datamodel, specifically monitoring changes to the registry path associated with Windows Defender's real-time protection settings. This activity is significant because disabling raw write notifications can allow malware, such as Azorult, to bypass Windows Defender's behavior monitoring, potentially leading to undetected malicious activities. If confirmed malicious, this could enable attackers to execute code, persist in the environment, and access sensitive information without detection.
data_source:
    - Sysmon EventID 13
search: '| tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime FROM datamodel=Endpoint.Registry where Registry.registry_path= "*\\Windows Defender\\Real-Time Protection\\DisableRawWriteNotification*" Registry.registry_value_data="0x00000001" 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 | `drop_dm_object_name(Registry)` | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)` | `windows_modify_registry_disable_win_defender_raw_write_notif_filter`'
how_to_implement: To successfully implement this search you need to be ingesting information on process that include the name of the process responsible for the changes from your endpoints into the `Endpoint` datamodel in the `Registry` node. Also make sure that this registry was included in your config files ex. sysmon config to be monitored.
known_false_positives: Administrators may enable or disable this feature that may cause some false positive. Filter as needed.
references:
    - https://admx.help/?Category=SystemCenterEndpointProtection&Policy=Microsoft.Policies.Antimalware::real-time_protection_disablerawwritenotification
    - https://app.any.run/tasks/a6f2ffe2-e6e2-4396-ae2e-04ea0143f2d8/
drilldown_searches:
    - name: View the detection results for - "$dest$"
      search: '%original_detection_search% | search  dest = "$dest$"'
      earliest_offset: $info_min_time$
      latest_offset: $info_max_time$
    - name: View risk events for the last 7 days for - "$dest$"
      search: '| from datamodel Risk.All_Risk | search normalized_risk_object IN ("$dest$") starthoursago=168  | stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime values(search_name) as "Search Name" values(risk_message) as "Risk Message" values(analyticstories) as "Analytic Stories" values(annotations._all) as "Annotations" values(annotations.mitre_attack.mitre_tactic) as "ATT&CK Tactics" by normalized_risk_object | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`'
      earliest_offset: $info_min_time$
      latest_offset: $info_max_time$
rba:
    message: The registry for raw write notification settings was modified to disable on $dest$.
    risk_objects:
        - field: dest
          type: system
          score: 20
    threat_objects: []
tags:
    analytic_story:
        - Azorult
        - CISA AA23-347A
    asset_type: Endpoint
    mitre_attack_id:
        - T1112
    product:
        - Splunk Enterprise
        - Splunk Enterprise Security
        - Splunk Cloud
    security_domain: endpoint
tests:
    - name: True Positive Test
      attack_data:
        - data: https://media.githubusercontent.com/media/splunk/attack_data/master/datasets/malware/azorult/sysmon.log
          source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational
          sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog