Detection rules › Elastic
Registry Modification via Microsoft Office
Identifies modification of common autostart related registry keys by a Microsoft Office process. Adversaries may use this technique to maintain persistence and avoid spawning suspicious child processes.
MITRE ATT&CK coverage
| Tactic | Techniques |
|---|---|
| Initial Access | |
| Persistence |
Rule body
[rule]
description = """
Identifies modification of common autostart related registry keys by a Microsoft Office process. Adversaries may use
this technique to maintain persistence and avoid spawning suspicious child processes.
"""
id = "926b6cd1-c0c7-46d4-82d6-9deb6ae431d6"
license = "Elastic License v2"
name = "Registry Modification via Microsoft Office"
os_list = ["windows"]
reference = ["https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/technet-magazine/ee851671(v=msdn.10)"]
version = "1.0.35"
query = '''
sequence by process.entity_id with maxspan=1m
[process where event.action == "start" and process.name : ("EQNEDT32.EXE", "WINWORD.EXE", "EXCEL.EXE", "POWERPNT.EXE", "MSPUB.EXE", "MSACCESS.EXE")]
[registry where registry.data.strings != null and
process.name : ("EQNEDT32.EXE", "WINWORD.EXE", "EXCEL.EXE", "POWERPNT.EXE", "MSPUB.EXE", "MSACCESS.EXE") and
registry.path : (
"HKEY_USERS\\*\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Run\\*",
"HKEY_USERS\\*\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\RunOnce\\*",
"HKEY_USERS\\*\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\RunOnceEx\\*",
"HKEY_USERS\\*\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Explorer\\User Shell Folders\\*",
"HKEY_USERS\\*\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Explorer\\Shell Folders\\*",
"HKEY_USERS\\*\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Policies\\Explorer\\Run\\*",
"HKEY_USERS\\*\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows NT\\CurrentVersion\\Winlogon\\Shell\\*",
"HKEY_USERS\\*\\Environment\\UserInitMprLogonScript",
"HKEY_USERS\\*\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows NT\\CurrentVersion\\Windows\\Load",
"HKEY_USERS\\*\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows NT\\CurrentVersion\\Winlogon\\Shell",
"HKEY_USERS\\*\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Policies\\System\\Shell",
"HKEY_USERS\\*\\SOFTWARE\\Policies\\Microsoft\\Windows\\System\\Scripts\\Logoff\\Script",
"HKEY_USERS\\*\\SOFTWARE\\Policies\\Microsoft\\Windows\\System\\Scripts\\Logon\\Script",
"HKEY_USERS\\*\\SOFTWARE\\Policies\\Microsoft\\Windows\\System\\Scripts\\Shutdown\\Script",
"HKEY_USERS\\*\\SOFTWARE\\Policies\\Microsoft\\Windows\\System\\Scripts\\Startup\\Script",
"HKEY_USERS\\*\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Ctf\\LangBarAddin\\*\\FilePath",
"HKEY_USERS\\*\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Internet Explorer\\Extensions\\*\\Exec",
"HKEY_USERS\\*\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Internet Explorer\\Extensions\\*\\Script",
"HKEY_USERS\\*\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Command Processor\\Autorun"
) and
not registry.data.strings :
("?:\\Program Files\\Microsoft Office\\Root\\Office*\\officeappguardwin*.exe server",
"%USERPROFILE%\\OneDrive - *\\Documents\\Downloads") and
not registry.path : "HKEY_USERS\\*\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Explorer\\Shell Folders\\{BFB9D5E0-C6A9-404C-B2B2-AE6DB6AF4968}"
]
'''
min_endpoint_version = "7.15.0"
[[actions]]
action = "kill_process"
field = "process.entity_id"
state = 0
[[optional_actions]]
action = "rollback"
field = "process.entity_id"
state = 0
[[threat]]
framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"
[[threat.technique]]
id = "T1566"
name = "Phishing"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1566/"
[[threat.technique.subtechnique]]
id = "T1566.001"
name = "Spearphishing Attachment"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1566/001/"
[threat.tactic]
id = "TA0001"
name = "Initial Access"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0001/"
[[threat]]
framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"
[[threat.technique]]
id = "T1547"
name = "Boot or Logon Autostart Execution"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1547/"
[[threat.technique.subtechnique]]
id = "T1547.001"
name = "Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1547/001/"
[threat.tactic]
id = "TA0003"
name = "Persistence"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0003/"
[[threat]]
framework = "MITRE ATT&CK"
[[threat.technique]]
id = "T1112"
name = "Modify Registry"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1112/"
[threat.tactic]
id = "TA0005"
name = "Defense Evasion"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0005/"
[internal]
min_endpoint_version = "7.15.0"
Stages and Predicates
Ordered sequence: each step below must occur in order within 1m, correlated by process.entity_id.
Stage 1: process
[process where event.action == "start" and process.name : ("EQNEDT32.EXE", "WINWORD.EXE", "EXCEL.EXE", "POWERPNT.EXE", "MSPUB.EXE", "MSACCESS.EXE")]
Stage 2: registry
[registry where registry.data.strings != null and
process.name : ("EQNEDT32.EXE", "WINWORD.EXE", "EXCEL.EXE", "POWERPNT.EXE", "MSPUB.EXE", "MSACCESS.EXE") and
registry.path : (
"HKEY_USERS\\*\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Run\\*",
"HKEY_USERS\\*\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\RunOnce\\*",
"HKEY_USERS\\*\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\RunOnceEx\\*",
"HKEY_USERS\\*\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Explorer\\User Shell Folders\\*",
"HKEY_USERS\\*\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Explorer\\Shell Folders\\*",
"HKEY_USERS\\*\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Policies\\Explorer\\Run\\*",
"HKEY_USERS\\*\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows NT\\CurrentVersion\\Winlogon\\Shell\\*",
"HKEY_USERS\\*\\Environment\\UserInitMprLogonScript",
"HKEY_USERS\\*\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows NT\\CurrentVersion\\Windows\\Load",
"HKEY_USERS\\*\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows NT\\CurrentVersion\\Winlogon\\Shell",
"HKEY_USERS\\*\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Policies\\System\\Shell",
"HKEY_USERS\\*\\SOFTWARE\\Policies\\Microsoft\\Windows\\System\\Scripts\\Logoff\\Script",
"HKEY_USERS\\*\\SOFTWARE\\Policies\\Microsoft\\Windows\\System\\Scripts\\Logon\\Script",
"HKEY_USERS\\*\\SOFTWARE\\Policies\\Microsoft\\Windows\\System\\Scripts\\Shutdown\\Script",
"HKEY_USERS\\*\\SOFTWARE\\Policies\\Microsoft\\Windows\\System\\Scripts\\Startup\\Script",
"HKEY_USERS\\*\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Ctf\\LangBarAddin\\*\\FilePath",
"HKEY_USERS\\*\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Internet Explorer\\Extensions\\*\\Exec",
"HKEY_USERS\\*\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Internet Explorer\\Extensions\\*\\Script",
"HKEY_USERS\\*\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Command Processor\\Autorun"
) and
not registry.data.strings :
("?:\\Program Files\\Microsoft Office\\Root\\Office*\\officeappguardwin*.exe server",
"%USERPROFILE%\\OneDrive - *\\Documents\\Downloads") and
not registry.path : "HKEY_USERS\\*\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Explorer\\Shell Folders\\{BFB9D5E0-C6A9-404C-B2B2-AE6DB6AF4968}"
]
Exclusions
The rule actively suppresses these predicates.
| Field | Kind | Excluded values | Search |
|---|---|---|---|
registry.data.strings | wildcard | ?:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Root\Office*\officeappguardwin*.exe server, %USERPROFILE%\OneDrive - *\Documents\Downloads | excludes:registry.data.strings field:"registry.data.strings" value:"?:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Root\Office*\officeappguardwin*.exe server" field:"registry.data.strings" value:"%USERPROFILE%\OneDrive - *\Documents\Downloads" |
registry.path | wildcard | HKEY_USERS\*\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders\{BFB9D5E0-C6A9-404C-B2B2-AE6DB6AF4968} | excludes:registry.path field:"registry.path" value:"HKEY_USERS\*\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders\{BFB9D5E0-C6A9-404C-B2B2-AE6DB6AF4968}" |
Indicators
These rows show field, operator, and value matches.
| Field | Kind | Values | Search |
|---|---|---|---|
event.action | eq |
| field:"EventType" kind:eq value:"start" |
process.name | wildcard |
| field:"process_name" kind:wildcard |
registry.data.strings | is_not_null | field:"Details" kind:is_not_null | |
registry.path | wildcard |
| field:"TargetObject" kind:wildcard |