Run Once Task Configuration in Registry

Status: test
Severity: medium
Log source: category registry_event, product windows
Author: Avneet Singh @v3t0_, oscd.community
Source: github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma

Rule to detect the configuration of Run Once registry key. Configured payload can be run by runonce.exe /AlternateShellStartup

Known false positives

Legitimate modification of the registry key by legitimate program

MITRE ATT&CK coverage

Tactic	Techniques
Persistence	`T1112` Modify Registry
Defense Impairment	`T1112` Modify Registry

Telemetry coverage

Provider	Record / event type
Sysmon	Event ID 12: RegistryEvent (Object create and delete)
Sysmon	Event ID 13: RegistryEvent (Value Set)
Sysmon	Event ID 14: RegistryEvent (Key and Value Rename)

Rule body

title: Run Once Task Configuration in Registry
id: c74d7efc-8826-45d9-b8bb-f04fac9e4eff
status: test
description: Rule to detect the configuration of Run Once registry key. Configured payload can be run by runonce.exe /AlternateShellStartup
references:
    - https://twitter.com/pabraeken/status/990717080805789697
    - https://lolbas-project.github.io/lolbas/Binaries/Runonce/
author: 'Avneet Singh @v3t0_, oscd.community'
date: 2020-11-15
modified: 2024-03-25
tags:
    - attack.persistence
    - attack.defense-impairment
    - attack.t1112
logsource:
    product: windows
    category: registry_event
detection:
    selection:
        TargetObject|contains: '\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components'
        TargetObject|endswith: '\StubPath'
    filter_optional_chrome:
        Details|contains|all:
            - 'C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\'
            - '\Installer\chrmstp.exe" --configure-user-settings --verbose-logging --system-level' # In some cases the Details will contain an additional flag called "--channel=stable" at the end
    filter_optional_edge:
        Details|contains:
            - 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\'
            - 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Edge\Application\'
        Details|endswith: '\Installer\setup.exe" --configure-user-settings --verbose-logging --system-level --msedge --channel=stable'
    condition: selection and not 1 of filter_optional_*
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate modification of the registry key by legitimate program
level: medium

Stages and Predicates

Stage 0: `condition`

selection and not 1 of filter_optional_*

Stage 1: `selection`

selection:
    TargetObject|contains: '\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components'
    TargetObject|endswith: '\StubPath'

Stage 2: `not filter_optional_*`

filter_optional_chrome:
    Details|contains|all:
        - 'C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\'
        - '\Installer\chrmstp.exe" --configure-user-settings --verbose-logging --system-level'
filter_optional_edge:
    Details|contains:
        - 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\'
        - 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Edge\Application\'
    Details|endswith: '\Installer\setup.exe" --configure-user-settings --verbose-logging --system-level --msedge --channel=stable'

Exclusions

The rule actively suppresses these predicates.

Field	Kind	Excluded values	Search
`Details`	match	`C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\`	`excludes:Details` `field:"Details" value:"C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\"`
`Details`	match	`C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Edge\Application\`	`excludes:Details` `field:"Details" value:"C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Edge\Application\"`
`Details`	ends_with	`\Installer\setup.exe" --configure-user-settings --verbose-logging --system-level --msedge --channel=stable`	`excludes:Details`
`Details`	match	`C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\`	`excludes:Details` `field:"Details" value:"C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\"`
`Details`	match	`\Installer\chrmstp.exe" --configure-user-settings --verbose-logging --system-level`	`excludes:Details`

Indicators

These rows show field, operator, and value matches.

Field	Kind	Values	Search
`TargetObject`	ends_with	`\StubPath`	`field:"TargetObject" kind:ends_with value:"\StubPath"`
`TargetObject`	match	`\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components`	`field:"TargetObject" kind:match value:"\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components"`