Removal of Potential COM Hijacking Registry Keys

title: Removal of Potential COM Hijacking Registry Keys
id: 96f697b0-b499-4e5d-9908-a67bec11cdb6
status: test
description: |
    Detects any deletion of entries in ".*\shell\open\command" registry keys.
    These registry keys might have been used for COM hijacking activities by a threat actor or an attacker and the deletion could indicate steps to remove its tracks.
references:
    - https://github.com/OTRF/detection-hackathon-apt29/issues/7
    - https://github.com/OTRF/ThreatHunter-Playbook/blob/2d4257f630f4c9770f78d0c1df059f891ffc3fec/docs/evals/apt29/detections/3.C.1_22A46621-7A92-48C1-81BF-B3937EB4FDC3.md
    - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/shell/launch
    - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/api/shobjidl_core/nn-shobjidl_core-iexecutecommand
    - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/shell/shell-and-managed-code
author: Roberto Rodriguez (Cyb3rWard0g), OTR (Open Threat Research)
date: 2020-05-02
modified: 2025-10-07
tags:
    - attack.persistence
    - attack.defense-evasion
    - attack.t1112
logsource:
    product: windows
    category: registry_delete
detection:
    selection:
        TargetObject|endswith: '\shell\open\command'
    filter_main_explorer:
        Image|endswith: 'C:\Windows\explorer.exe'
    filter_main_svchost:
        Image: 'C:\Windows\system32\svchost.exe'
    filter_main_msiexec:
        Image:
            - 'C:\Windows\System32\msiexec.exe'
            - 'C:\Windows\SysWOW64\msiexec.exe'
    filter_main_generic_prorams:
        Image|startswith:
            - 'C:\Program Files\'
            - 'C:\Program Files (x86)\'
    filter_main_openwith:
        Image: 'C:\Windows\System32\OpenWith.exe'
    filter_optional_dropbox:
        Image|endswith: '\Dropbox.exe'
        # We don't use the HKCR anchor as it could be logged as a different variation (HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT)
        TargetObject|contains: '\Dropbox.'
    filter_optional_wireshark:
        Image|endswith: '\AppData\Local\Temp\Wireshark_uninstaller.exe'
        # We don't use the HKCR anchor as it could be logged as a different variation (HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT)
        TargetObject|contains: '\wireshark-capture-file\'
    filter_optional_peazip:
        Image|contains: 'peazip'
        # We don't use the HKCR anchor as it could be logged as a different variation (HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT)
        TargetObject|contains: '\PeaZip.'
    filter_optional_everything:
        Image|endswith: '\Everything.exe'
        # We don't use the HKCR anchor as it could be logged as a different variation (HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT)
        TargetObject|contains: '\Everything.'
    filter_optional_uninstallers:
        # This image path is linked with different uninstallers when running as admin unfortunately
        Image|startswith: 'C:\Windows\Installer\MSI'
    filter_optional_java:
        Image|startswith: 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\'
        Image|endswith: '\installer.exe'
        TargetObject|contains: '\Classes\WOW6432Node\CLSID\{4299124F-F2C3-41b4-9C73-9236B2AD0E8F}'
    filter_optional_edgeupdate:
        Image|contains: '\Microsoft\EdgeUpdate\Install'
    filter_optional_avira:
        Image:
            - 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Avira\Antivirus\'
            - 'C:\Program Files\Avira\Antivirus\'
        TargetObject|endswith:
            - '\CLSID\{305CA226-D286-468e-B848-2B2E8E697B74}\Shell\Open\Command'
            - '\AntiVir.Keyfile\shell\open\command'
    filter_optional_installer_temp:
        - Image|contains|all:
              - 'AppData\Local\Temp'
              - '\setup.exe'
        - Image|contains|all:
              - '\Temp\is-'
              - '\target.tmp'
    filter_optional_ninite:
        Image|endswith: '\ninite.exe'
    filter_optional_discord:
        Image|endswith: '\reg.exe'
        TargetObject|endswith: '\Discord\shell\open\command'
    filter_optional_spotify:
        Image|endswith: '\Spotify.exe'
        TargetObject|endswith: '\Spotify\shell\open\command'
    filter_optional_eclipse:
        Image|endswith: 'C:\eclipse\eclipse.exe'
        TargetObject|contains: '_Classes\eclipse+'
    filter_optional_teamviewer:
        Image|contains|all:
            - '\Temp'
            - '\TeamViewer'
    condition: selection and not 1 of filter_main_* and not 1 of filter_optional_*
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate software (un)installations are known to cause false positives. Please add them as a filter when encountered
level: medium