Windows Modify Show Compress Color And Info Tip Registry

name: Windows Modify Show Compress Color And Info Tip Registry
id: b7548c2e-9a10-11ec-99e3-acde48001122
version: 13
date: '2026-03-10'
author: Teoderick Contreras, Splunk, Steven Dick
status: production
type: TTP
description: The following analytic detects suspicious modifications to the Windows registry keys related to file compression color and information tips. It leverages data from the Endpoint.Registry data model, specifically monitoring changes to the "ShowCompColor" and "ShowInfoTip" values under the "Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Explorer\\Advanced" path. This activity is significant as it was observed in the Hermetic Wiper malware, indicating potential malicious intent to alter file attributes and user interface elements. If confirmed malicious, this could signify an attempt to manipulate file visibility and deceive users, potentially aiding in further malicious activities.
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 = "*\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Explorer\\Advanced*" AND Registry.registry_value_name  IN("ShowCompColor", "ShowInfoTip")) 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)` | where isnotnull(registry_value_data) | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)` | `windows_modify_show_compress_color_and_info_tip_registry_filter`'
how_to_implement: To successfully implement this search, you need to be ingesting logs with the registry value name, registry path, and registry value data from your endpoints. If you are using Sysmon, you must have at least version 2.0 of the official Sysmon TA. https://splunkbase.splunk.com/app/5709
known_false_positives: No false positives have been identified at this time.
references:
    - https://blog.talosintelligence.com/2022/02/threat-advisory-hermeticwiper.html
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: Registry modification in "ShowCompColor" and "ShowInfoTips" on $dest$
    risk_objects:
        - field: dest
          type: system
          score: 50
    threat_objects: []
tags:
    analytic_story:
        - Data Destruction
        - Windows Defense Evasion Tactics
        - Windows Registry Abuse
        - Hermetic Wiper
    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/hermetic_wiper/globalfolderoptions_reg/sysmon.log
          source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational
          sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog