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Detection rules › Sigma

AMSI Disabled via Registry Modification

Status
experimental
Severity
high
Log source
product windows, category registry_set
Author
Swachchhanda Shrawan Poudel (Nextron Systems)
Source
github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma

Detects attempts to disable AMSI (Anti-Malware Scan Interface) by modifying the AmsiEnable registry value. Anti-Malware Scan Interface (AMSI) is a security feature in Windows that allows applications and services to integrate with anti-malware products for enhanced protection against malicious content. Adversaries may attempt to disable AMSI to evade detection by security software, allowing them to execute malicious scripts or code without being scanned.

MITRE ATT&CK coverage

TacticTechniques
Defense ImpairmentT1685 Disable or Modify Tools

Event coverage

ProviderEventTitle
SysmonEvent ID 13RegistryEvent (Value Set)

Rule body yaml

title: AMSI Disabled via Registry Modification
id: aa37cbb0-da36-42cb-a90f-fdf216fc7467
related:
    - id: 7dbbcac2-57a0-45ac-b306-ff30a8bd2981 # Windows AMSI Related Registry Tampering Via CommandLine
      type: similar
status: experimental
description: |
    Detects attempts to disable AMSI (Anti-Malware Scan Interface) by modifying the AmsiEnable registry value.
    Anti-Malware Scan Interface (AMSI) is a security feature in Windows that allows applications and services to integrate with anti-malware products for enhanced protection against malicious content.
    Adversaries may attempt to disable AMSI to evade detection by security software, allowing them to execute malicious scripts or code without being scanned.
references:
    - https://mostafayahiax.medium.com/hunting-for-amsi-bypassing-methods-9886dda0bf9d
    - https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/amsi/antimalware-scan-interface-portal
    - https://www.mdsec.co.uk/2019/02/macros-and-more-with-sharpshooter-v2-0/
author: Swachchhanda Shrawan Poudel (Nextron Systems)
date: 2025-12-25
tags:
    - attack.defense-impairment
    - attack.t1685
logsource:
    category: registry_set
    product: windows
detection:
    selection:
        TargetObject|endswith: '\Software\Microsoft\Windows Script\Settings\AmsiEnable'
        Details: 'DWORD (0x00000000)'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Unlikely
level: high
regression_tests_path: regression_data/rules/windows/registry/registry_set/registry_set_amsi_disable/info.yml
simulation:
    - type: atomic-red-team
      name: AMSI Bypass - Create AMSIEnable Reg Key
      technique: T1562.001
      atomic_guid: 728eca7b-0444-4f6f-ac36-437e3d751dc0

Stages and Predicates

Stage 0: condition

selection

Stage 1: selection

selection:
    TargetObject|endswith: '\Software\Microsoft\Windows Script\Settings\AmsiEnable'
    Details: 'DWORD (0x00000000)'

Indicators

Each row is a field, operator, and value that the rule matches. The corpus column counts how many other rules in the catalog look for the same combination: high numbers point to widely-used, community-vetted indicators. Blank or 1 shows that the indicator is specific to this rule.

FieldKindValues
Detailseq
  • DWORD (0x00000000) corpus 38 (sigma 36, chronicle 2)
TargetObjectends_with
  • \Software\Microsoft\Windows Script\Settings\AmsiEnable