Detection rules › Elastic
Unusual Windows System Service Disabled
Identifies attempts to disable certain Windows security related services such as the Windows Defender or System Updates via registry modification.
MITRE ATT&CK coverage
| Tactic | Techniques |
|---|---|
| Persistence | |
| Defense Impairment |
Rule body
[rule]
description = """
Identifies attempts to disable certain Windows security related services such as the Windows Defender or System Updates
via registry modification.
"""
id = "7c44cfc6-d336-400e-9cc1-2417dfb5c00a"
license = "Elastic License v2"
name = "Unusual Windows System Service Disabled"
os_list = ["windows"]
version = "1.0.13"
query = '''
registry where
registry.value : "Start" and registry.data.strings == "4" and
process.executable != null and registry.path != null and
registry.path :
("HKLM\\SYSTEM\\ControlSet001\\Services\\WinDefend\\Start",
"HKLM\\SYSTEM\\ControlSet001\\Services\\SecurityHealthService\\Start",
"HKLM\\SYSTEM\\ControlSet001\\Services\\Sense\\Start",
"HKLM\\SYSTEM\\ControlSet001\\Services\\WdBoot\\Start",
"HKLM\\SYSTEM\\ControlSet001\\Services\\WdFilter\\Start",
"HKLM\\SYSTEM\\ControlSet001\\Services\\WdNisDrv\\Start",
"HKLM\\SYSTEM\\ControlSet001\\Services\\WdNisSvc\\Start",
"HKLM\\SYSTEM\\ControlSet001\\Services\\wscsvc\\Start",
"HKLM\\SYSTEM\\ControlSet001\\Services\\EventLog\\Start") and
not process.executable : ("?:\\Windows\\System32\\reg.exe", "?:\\Windows\\regedit.exe") and
not (process.code_signature.subject_name in ("Connectwise, LLC", "Enestech Software (Cyprus) Ltd") and process.code_signature.trusted == true)
'''
actions = []
min_endpoint_version = "8.4.0"
[[optional_actions]]
action = "rollback"
field = "process.entity_id"
state = 0
[[threat]]
framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"
[[threat.technique]]
id = "T1112"
name = "Modify Registry"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1112/"
[[threat.technique]]
id = "T1562"
name = "Impair Defenses"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1562/"
[[threat.technique.subtechnique]]
id = "T1562.001"
name = "Disable or Modify Tools"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1562/001/"
[threat.tactic]
id = "TA0005"
name = "Defense Evasion"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0005/"
[internal]
min_endpoint_version = "8.4.0"
Stages and Predicates
Stage 1: registry
registry where
registry.value : "Start" and registry.data.strings == "4" and
process.executable != null and registry.path != null and
registry.path :
("HKLM\\SYSTEM\\ControlSet001\\Services\\WinDefend\\Start",
"HKLM\\SYSTEM\\ControlSet001\\Services\\SecurityHealthService\\Start",
"HKLM\\SYSTEM\\ControlSet001\\Services\\Sense\\Start",
"HKLM\\SYSTEM\\ControlSet001\\Services\\WdBoot\\Start",
"HKLM\\SYSTEM\\ControlSet001\\Services\\WdFilter\\Start",
"HKLM\\SYSTEM\\ControlSet001\\Services\\WdNisDrv\\Start",
"HKLM\\SYSTEM\\ControlSet001\\Services\\WdNisSvc\\Start",
"HKLM\\SYSTEM\\ControlSet001\\Services\\wscsvc\\Start",
"HKLM\\SYSTEM\\ControlSet001\\Services\\EventLog\\Start") and
not process.executable : ("?:\\Windows\\System32\\reg.exe", "?:\\Windows\\regedit.exe") and
not (process.code_signature.subject_name in ("Connectwise, LLC", "Enestech Software (Cyprus) Ltd") and process.code_signature.trusted == true)
Exclusions
The rule actively suppresses these predicates.
| Field | Kind | Excluded values | Search |
|---|---|---|---|
process.code_signature.subject_name | in | Connectwise, LLC, Enestech Software (Cyprus) Ltd | excludes:process.code_signature.subject_name field:"process.code_signature.subject_name" value:"Connectwise, LLC" field:"process.code_signature.subject_name" value:"Enestech Software (Cyprus) Ltd" |
process.code_signature.trusted | eq | true | excludes:process.code_signature.trusted field:"process.code_signature.trusted" value:"true" |
process.executable | eq | ?:\Windows\System32\reg.exe, ?:\Windows\regedit.exe | excludes:process.executable field:"process.executable" value:"?:\Windows\System32\reg.exe" field:"process.executable" value:"?:\Windows\regedit.exe" |
Indicators
These rows show field, operator, and value matches.
| Field | Kind | Values | Search |
|---|---|---|---|
process.executable | is_not_null | field:"Image" kind:is_not_null | |
registry.data.strings | eq |
| field:"Details" kind:eq value:"4" |
registry.path | is_not_null | field:"TargetObject" kind:is_not_null | |
registry.path | wildcard |
| field:"TargetObject" kind:wildcard |
registry.value | wildcard |
| field:"registry_value_name" kind:wildcard value:"Start" |