Windows Mshta Execution In Registry

name: Windows Mshta Execution In Registry
id: e13ceade-b673-4d34-adc4-4d9c01729753
version: 10
date: '2026-03-10'
author: Teoderick Contreras, Splunk
status: production
type: TTP
description: The following analytic detects the execution of mshta.exe via registry entries to run malicious scripts. It leverages registry activity logs to identify entries containing "mshta," "javascript," "vbscript," or "WScript.Shell." This behavior is significant as it indicates potential fileless malware, such as Kovter, which uses encoded scripts in the registry to persist and execute without files. If confirmed malicious, this activity could allow attackers to maintain persistence, execute arbitrary code, and evade traditional file-based detection methods, posing a significant threat to system integrity and security.
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_value_data = "*mshta*"
        OR
        Registry.registry_value_data IN ("*javascript:*", "*vbscript:*","*WScript.Shell*")
      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_mshta_execution_in_registry_filter`
how_to_implement: To successfully implement this search, you must be ingesting data that records registry activity from your hosts to populate the endpoint data model in the registry node. This is typically populated via endpoint detection-and-response product, such as Carbon Black or endpoint data sources, such as Sysmon. The data used for this search is typically generated via logs that report reads and writes to the registry.
known_false_positives: No false positives have been identified at this time.
references:
    - https://redcanary.com/threat-detection-report/techniques/mshta/
    - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/security/intelligence/fileless-threats?view=o365-worldwide
drilldown_searches:
    - name: View the detection results for - "$dest$" and "$user$"
      search: '%original_detection_search% | search  dest = "$dest$" user = "$user$"'
      earliest_offset: $info_min_time$
      latest_offset: $info_max_time$
    - name: View risk events for the last 7 days for - "$dest$" and "$user$"
      search: '| from datamodel Risk.All_Risk | search normalized_risk_object IN ("$dest$", "$user$") 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 $registry_path$ contains mshta $registry_value_data$ on $dest$
    risk_objects:
        - field: dest
          type: system
          score: 50
        - field: user
          type: user
          score: 50
    threat_objects: []
tags:
    analytic_story:
        - Suspicious Windows Registry Activities
        - Windows Persistence Techniques
    asset_type: Endpoint
    mitre_attack_id:
        - T1218.005
    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/attack_techniques/T1218.005/mshta_in_registry/sysmon3.log
          source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational
          sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog