Windows Snake Malware Registry Modification wav OpenWithProgIds

name: Windows Snake Malware Registry Modification wav OpenWithProgIds
id: 13cf8b79-805d-443c-bf52-f55bd7610dfd
version: 9
date: '2026-03-10'
author: Michael Haag, Splunk
status: production
type: TTP
data_source:
    - Sysmon EventID 13
description: The following analytic identifies modifications to the registry path .wav\\OpenWithProgIds, associated with the Snake Malware campaign. It leverages data from the Endpoint.Registry datamodel to detect changes in this specific registry location. This activity is significant because Snake's WerFault.exe uses this registry path to decrypt an encrypted blob containing critical components like the AES key, IV, and paths for its kernel driver and loader. If confirmed malicious, this could allow the attacker to load and execute Snake's kernel driver, leading to potential system compromise and persistent access.
search: '| tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count values(Registry.registry_key_name) as registry_key_name values(Registry.registry_path) as registry_path min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime from datamodel=Endpoint.Registry where Registry.registry_path="*\\.wav\\OpenWithProgIds\\*" 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 | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)` | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` | `drop_dm_object_name(Registry)` | `windows_snake_malware_registry_modification_wav_openwithprogids_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. In addition, confirm the latest CIM App 4.20 or higher is installed and the latest TA for the endpoint product.
known_false_positives: False positives may be present and will require tuning based on program Ids in large organizations.
references:
    - https://media.defense.gov/2023/May/09/2003218554/-1/-1/0/JOINT_CSA_HUNTING_RU_INTEL_SNAKE_MALWARE_20230509.PDF
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: A registry modification related to Snake Malware has been identified on $dest$.
    risk_objects:
        - field: dest
          type: system
          score: 50
    threat_objects: []
tags:
    analytic_story:
        - Snake Malware
    asset_type: Endpoint
    atomic_guid:
        - 8318ad20-0488-4a64-98f4-72525a012f6b
    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/snakemalware/snake_malware_regblob-windows-sysmon.log
          source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational
          sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog