sigmamediumHunting

Potential Suspicious Registry File Imported Via Reg.EXE

Detects the import of '.reg' files from suspicious paths using the 'reg.exe' utility

MITRE ATT&CK

persistencedefense-evasion

Detection Query

selection_img:
  - Image|endswith: \reg.exe
  - OriginalFileName: reg.exe
selection_cli:
  CommandLine|contains: " import "
selection_paths:
  CommandLine|contains:
    - C:\Users\
    - "%temp%"
    - "%tmp%"
    - "%appdata%"
    - \AppData\Local\Temp\
    - C:\Windows\Temp\
    - C:\ProgramData\
condition: all of selection_*

Author

frack113, Nasreddine Bencherchali

Created

2022-08-01

Data Sources

windowsProcess Creation Events

Platforms

windows

References

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/reg-import

Tags

attack.persistenceattack.t1112attack.defense-evasion

Raw Content

title: Potential Suspicious Registry File Imported Via Reg.EXE
id: 62e0298b-e994-4189-bc87-bc699aa62d97
related:
    - id: 73bba97f-a82d-42ce-b315-9182e76c57b1
      type: derived
status: test
description: Detects the import of '.reg' files from suspicious paths using the 'reg.exe' utility
references:
    - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/reg-import
author: frack113, Nasreddine Bencherchali
date: 2022-08-01
modified: 2023-02-05
tags:
    - attack.persistence
    - attack.t1112
    - attack.defense-evasion
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection_img:
        - Image|endswith: '\reg.exe'
        - OriginalFileName: 'reg.exe'
    selection_cli:
        CommandLine|contains: ' import '
    selection_paths:
        CommandLine|contains:
            - 'C:\Users\'
            - '%temp%'
            - '%tmp%'
            - '%appdata%'
            - '\AppData\Local\Temp\'
            - 'C:\Windows\Temp\'
            - 'C:\ProgramData\'
    condition: all of selection_*
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate import of keys
level: medium