Reg Add Suspicious Paths

// Copyright 2025 Google LLC. Licensed under Apache-2.0.

rule reg_add_suspicious_paths {

  meta:
    author = "frack113, Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems)"
    description = "Detects when an adversary uses the reg.exe utility to add or modify new keys or subkeys"
    reference = "https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_reg_susp_paths.yml"
    license = "https://github.com/SigmaHQ/Detection-Rule-License/blob/main/LICENSE.Detection.Rules.md"
    rule_name = "Reg Add Suspicious Paths"
    rule_id = "mr_f9cc16b8-8177-483a-acb6-ce30cdd02181"
    sigma_uuid = "b7e2a8d4-74bb-4b78-adc9-3f92af2d4829"
    sigma_status = "test"
    tactic = "TA0005"
    technique = "T1562.001"
    //technique = "T1112"
    type = "Detection"
    data_source = "Windows Event Logs"
    platform = "Windows"
    severity = "High"
    priority = "High"
    false_positives = "Rare legitimate add to registry via cli (to these locations)"

  events:
    $process.metadata.event_type = "PROCESS_LAUNCH"
    (
        re.regex($process.target.process.file.full_path, `\\reg\.exe$`) nocase or
        $process.src.process.file.full_path = "reg.exe" nocase
    )
    (
        strings.contains(strings.to_lower($process.target.process.command_line), "\\appdatalow\\software\\microsoft\\") or
        strings.contains(strings.to_lower($process.target.process.command_line), "\\policies\\microsoft\\windows\\oobe") or
        strings.contains(strings.to_lower($process.target.process.command_line), "\\policies\\microsoft\\windows nt\\currentversion\\winlogon") or
        strings.contains(strings.to_lower($process.target.process.command_line), "\\software\\microsoft\\windows nt\\currentversion\\winlogon") or
        strings.contains(strings.to_lower($process.target.process.command_line), "\\currentcontrolset\\control\\securityproviders\\wdigest") or
        strings.contains(strings.to_lower($process.target.process.command_line), "\\microsoft\\windows defender\\")
    )
    $process.principal.hostname = $hostname

  match:
    $hostname over 5m

  outcome:
    //example usage of specifying test user and hostname to adjust risk score
    $risk_score = max(if($process.principal.user.userid = "user" and $process.principal.hostname = "hostname", 0, 15))
    $principal_process_pid = array_distinct($process.principal.process.pid)
    $principal_process_command_line = array_distinct($process.principal.process.command_line)
    $principal_process_file_sha256 = array_distinct($process.principal.process.file.sha256)
    $principal_process_file_full_path = array_distinct($process.principal.process.file.full_path)
    $principal_process_product_specfic_process_id = array_distinct($process.principal.process.product_specific_process_id)
    $principal_process_parent_process_product_specfic_process_id = array_distinct($process.principal.process.parent_process.product_specific_process_id)
    $target_process_pid = array_distinct($process.target.process.pid)
    $target_process_command_line = array_distinct($process.target.process.command_line)
    $target_process_file_sha256 = array_distinct($process.target.process.file.sha256)
    $target_process_file_full_path = array_distinct($process.target.process.file.full_path)
    $target_process_product_specfic_process_id = array_distinct($process.target.process.product_specific_process_id)
    $principal_user_userid = array_distinct($process.principal.user.userid)
    $log_type = array_distinct(strings.concat($process.metadata.log_type,"/",$process.metadata.product_event_type))

  condition:
    $process
}