Common Autorun Keys Modification

Status: test
Severity: medium
Log source: product windows, category registry_set
Author: Victor Sergeev, Daniil Yugoslavskiy, Gleb Sukhodolskiy, Timur Zinniatullin, oscd.community, Tim Shelton, frack113 (split), wagga (name)
Source: github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma

Detects modification of autostart extensibility point (ASEP) in registry.

MITRE ATT&CK coverage

Tactic	Techniques
Persistence	`T1547.001` Boot or Logon Autostart Execution: Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder
Privilege Escalation	`T1547.001` Boot or Logon Autostart Execution: Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder

Event coverage

Provider	Event	Title
Sysmon	Event ID 13	RegistryEvent (Value Set)

Rule body yaml

title: Common Autorun Keys Modification
id: f59c3faf-50f3-464b-9f4c-1b67ab512d99
related:
    - id: 17f878b8-9968-4578-b814-c4217fc5768c
      type: obsolete
status: test
description: Detects modification of autostart extensibility point (ASEP) in registry.
references:
    - https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1547.001/T1547.001.md
    - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/autoruns
    - https://gist.github.com/GlebSukhodolskiy/0fc5fa5f482903064b448890db1eaf9d # a list with registry keys
    - https://persistence-info.github.io/Data/userinitmprlogonscript.html # UserInitMprLogonScript
author: Victor Sergeev, Daniil Yugoslavskiy, Gleb Sukhodolskiy, Timur Zinniatullin, oscd.community, Tim Shelton, frack113 (split), wagga (name)
date: 2019-10-25
modified: 2025-10-22
tags:
    - attack.privilege-escalation
    - attack.persistence
    - attack.t1547.001
logsource:
    category: registry_set
    product: windows
detection:
    selection:
        TargetObject|contains:
            - '\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows CE Services\AutoStart'
            - '\Software\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Command Processor\Autorun'
            - '\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components'
            - '\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows CE Services\AutoStartOnDisconnect'
            - '\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows CE Services\AutoStartOnConnect'
            - '\SYSTEM\Setup\CmdLine'
            - '\Software\Microsoft\Ctf\LangBarAddin'
            - '\Software\Microsoft\Command Processor\Autorun'
            - '\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components'
            - '\SOFTWARE\Classes\Protocols\Handler'
            - '\SOFTWARE\Classes\Protocols\Filter'
            - '\SOFTWARE\Classes\Htmlfile\Shell\Open\Command\(Default)'
            - '\Environment\UserInitMprLogonScript'
            - '\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Control Panel\Desktop\Scrnsave.exe'
            - '\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\UrlSearchHooks'
            - '\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Desktop\Components'
            - '\Software\Classes\Clsid\{AB8902B4-09CA-4bb6-B78D-A8F59079A8D5}\Inprocserver32'
            - '\Control Panel\Desktop\Scrnsave.exe'
    filter_main_empty:
        Details: '(Empty)'
    filter_main_null:
        Details: null
    filter_main_poqexec:
        Image: 'C:\Windows\System32\poqexec.exe'
    filter_optional_msoffice:
        - TargetObject|contains:
              - '\Office\ClickToRun\REGISTRY\MACHINE\Software\Classes\PROTOCOLS\Handler\'
              - '\ClickToRunStore\HKMU\SOFTWARE\Classes\PROTOCOLS\Handler\'
        - Details:
              - '{314111c7-a502-11d2-bbca-00c04f8ec294}'
              - '{3459B272-CC19-4448-86C9-DDC3B4B2FAD3}'
              - '{42089D2D-912D-4018-9087-2B87803E93FB}'
              - '{5504BE45-A83B-4808-900A-3A5C36E7F77A}'
              - '{807583E5-5146-11D5-A672-00B0D022E945}'
    filter_optional_chrome:
        TargetObject|contains: '\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components\{8A69D345-D564-463c-AFF1-A69D9E530F96}'
    filter_optional_edge:
        TargetObject|contains: '\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components\{9459C573-B17A-45AE-9F64-1857B5D58CEE}'
    filter_optional_IE:
        TargetObject|contains: '\Software\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components\{89820200-ECBD-11cf-8B85-00AA005B4383}'
    filter_optional_integrator:
        Image:
            - 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\integration\integrator.exe'
            - 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\integration\integrator.exe'
    filter_optional_office:
        Image|startswith:
            - 'C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\ClickToRun\'
            - 'C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\ClickToRun\Updates\'
        Image|endswith: '\OfficeClickToRun.exe'
    condition: selection and not 1 of filter_main_* and not 1 of filter_optional_*
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate software automatically (mostly, during installation) sets up autorun keys for legitimate reason
    - Legitimate administrator sets up autorun keys for legitimate reason
level: medium

Stages and Predicates

Stage 0: `condition`

selection and not 1 of filter_main_* and not 1 of filter_optional_*

Stage 1: `selection`

selection:
    TargetObject|contains:
        - '\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows CE Services\AutoStart'
        - '\Software\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Command Processor\Autorun'
        - '\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components'
        - '\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows CE Services\AutoStartOnDisconnect'
        - '\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows CE Services\AutoStartOnConnect'
        - '\SYSTEM\Setup\CmdLine'
        - '\Software\Microsoft\Ctf\LangBarAddin'
        - '\Software\Microsoft\Command Processor\Autorun'
        - '\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components'
        - '\SOFTWARE\Classes\Protocols\Handler'
        - '\SOFTWARE\Classes\Protocols\Filter'
        - '\SOFTWARE\Classes\Htmlfile\Shell\Open\Command\(Default)'
        - '\Environment\UserInitMprLogonScript'
        - '\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Control Panel\Desktop\Scrnsave.exe'
        - '\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\UrlSearchHooks'
        - '\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Desktop\Components'
        - '\Software\Classes\Clsid\{AB8902B4-09CA-4bb6-B78D-A8F59079A8D5}\Inprocserver32'
        - '\Control Panel\Desktop\Scrnsave.exe'

Stage 2: `not filter_main_*`

filter_main_empty:
    Details: '(Empty)'
filter_main_null:
    Details: null
filter_main_poqexec:
    Image: 'C:\Windows\System32\poqexec.exe'

Stage 3: `not filter_optional_*`

filter_optional_msoffice:
    - TargetObject|contains:
          - '\Office\ClickToRun\REGISTRY\MACHINE\Software\Classes\PROTOCOLS\Handler\'
          - '\ClickToRunStore\HKMU\SOFTWARE\Classes\PROTOCOLS\Handler\'
    - Details:
          - '{314111c7-a502-11d2-bbca-00c04f8ec294}'
          - '{3459B272-CC19-4448-86C9-DDC3B4B2FAD3}'
          - '{42089D2D-912D-4018-9087-2B87803E93FB}'
          - '{5504BE45-A83B-4808-900A-3A5C36E7F77A}'
          - '{807583E5-5146-11D5-A672-00B0D022E945}'
filter_optional_chrome:
    TargetObject|contains: '\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components\{8A69D345-D564-463c-AFF1-A69D9E530F96}'
filter_optional_edge:
    TargetObject|contains: '\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components\{9459C573-B17A-45AE-9F64-1857B5D58CEE}'
filter_optional_IE:
    TargetObject|contains: '\Software\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components\{89820200-ECBD-11cf-8B85-00AA005B4383}'
filter_optional_integrator:
    Image:
        - 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\integration\integrator.exe'
        - 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\integration\integrator.exe'
filter_optional_office:
    Image|startswith:
        - 'C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\ClickToRun\'
        - 'C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\ClickToRun\Updates\'
    Image|endswith: '\OfficeClickToRun.exe'

Exclusions

Top-level NOT(...) conjuncts: predicates this rule actively suppresses.

Field	Kind	Excluded values
`Details`	eq	`(Empty)`
`Details`	is_null	(no value, null check)
`Image`	eq	`C:\Windows\System32\poqexec.exe`
`Image`	starts_with	`C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\ClickToRun\`
`Image`	starts_with	`C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\ClickToRun\Updates\`
`Image`	ends_with	`\OfficeClickToRun.exe`
`Details`	eq	`{314111c7-a502-11d2-bbca-00c04f8ec294}`
`Details`	eq	`{3459B272-CC19-4448-86C9-DDC3B4B2FAD3}`
`Details`	eq	`{42089D2D-912D-4018-9087-2B87803E93FB}`
`Details`	eq	`{5504BE45-A83B-4808-900A-3A5C36E7F77A}`
`Details`	eq	`{807583E5-5146-11D5-A672-00B0D022E945}`
`Image`	eq	`C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\integration\integrator.exe`
`Image`	eq	`C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\integration\integrator.exe`
`TargetObject`	match	`\ClickToRunStore\HKMU\SOFTWARE\Classes\PROTOCOLS\Handler\`
`TargetObject`	match	`\Office\ClickToRun\REGISTRY\MACHINE\Software\Classes\PROTOCOLS\Handler\`
`TargetObject`	match	`\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components\{8A69D345-D564-463c-AFF1-A69D9E530F96}`
`TargetObject`	match	`\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components\{9459C573-B17A-45AE-9F64-1857B5D58CEE}`
`TargetObject`	match	`\Software\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components\{89820200-ECBD-11cf-8B85-00AA005B4383}`

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.

Field	Kind	Values
`TargetObject`	match	`\Control Panel\Desktop\Scrnsave.exe` corpus 2 (sigma 2) `\Environment\UserInitMprLogonScript` `\SOFTWARE\Classes\Htmlfile\Shell\Open\Command\(Default)` `\SOFTWARE\Classes\Protocols\Filter` `\SOFTWARE\Classes\Protocols\Handler` `\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components` `\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Desktop\Components` `\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows CE Services\AutoStartOnConnect` `\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows CE Services\AutoStartOnDisconnect` `\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Control Panel\Desktop\Scrnsave.exe` `\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components` `\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows CE Services\AutoStart` `\SYSTEM\Setup\CmdLine` `\Software\Classes\Clsid\{AB8902B4-09CA-4bb6-B78D-A8F59079A8D5}\Inprocserver32` `\Software\Microsoft\Command Processor\Autorun` `\Software\Microsoft\Ctf\LangBarAddin` `\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\UrlSearchHooks` `\Software\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Command Processor\Autorun`

`j` / `k`	Scroll down / up
`d` / `u`	Half-page down / up
`gg` / `G`	Top / bottom
`h` / `l`	History back / forward
`f`	Follow link (`Shift` = new tab)
`/`	Focus search
`?`	Toggle this help
`↑` / `↓`	Navigate search results
`Enter`	Open highlighted result
`Esc`	Close results / dialog

`type:`	`events` / `rules` / `providers`
`vendor:`	`sigma` / `elastic` / `splunk` / `kusto` / `chronicle` (vendor name alone also works: `sigma:`, `kql:`, `secops:`…)
`tactic:`	TA-id, slug, or name: `credential_access`, `TA0006`
`technique:`	technique or sub-technique ID: `T1003`, `T1003.001` (alias `tech:`)
`severity:`	`critical` / `high` / `medium` / `low` / `informational` (alias `sev:`)
`risk_score`	Numeric comparison on the Elastic risk score (0 to 100): `risk_score>50`, `risk_score<=20`, `risk_score=99` (alias `risk`; Elastic rules only)
`stages:`	Rules with exactly N pipeline stages
`correlation:`	`single_event` / `sequence` / `alternatives` / `alternatives_cross_log` / `all_required` / `correlated`
`with:`	Co-occurrence event-id; stacks (`with:4624 with:4769`) to require all, while a comma list in one occurrence (`with:4624,4769`) is an either-or group. Implies multi-event
`like:`	Structural neighbors of a rule slug (equivalents + subsumption stricter / broader): `like:comsvcs_lsass_memory_dump-splunk-sysmon`
`groupby:`	Entity-grouping substring match against `group_by_keys`: `groupby:user`, `groupby:host`
`uses:`	Rules whose predicate tree touches the field (any kind, any value): `uses:CommandLine`
`excludes:`	Rules with top-level `not()` clauses on the field (FP whitelists): `excludes:ParentImage`
`field:` / `value:`	Predicate search; narrows rule cards to those with a matching leaf and drives the indicator tier. Unquoted = substring, wildcards allowed (`value:mimikatz`)
`indicator:`	Shorthand for `field:F value:V`: `indicator:Image=*\powershell.exe`
`kind:`	Filter by predicate kind. Narrows rule cards to those carrying a matching predicate leaf (`vendor:elastic kind:cidr_match`) and drives the indicator tier: `contains` / `starts_with` / `ends_with` / `regex` / `cidr` / `eq` / `in` … (operator aliases `op:`/`match:`)
`has:` / `no:`	`sample`, `field`, `notes`, `refs`, `trace`, `thirdparty`, `rule`, `pattern`, `timewindow`, `threshold`, `newterms`, `sigma`/`elastic`/`splunk`/`kusto`/`chronicle`
`-op:val`	Exclude matches; works on most operators but not `type:`/`like:`/`has:`/`no:` (use `no:<flag>` to exclude a rule flag): `tactic:execution -vendor:splunk`. Standalone `-kind:`/`-field:`/`-value:` drop every rule carrying a matching predicate leaf (`type:rules -kind:is_null`)
`field:"…"` / `value:"…"`	Quoted value = anchored exact match (also allows spaces): `value:"net user"`
`a,b`	Comma = OR inside one operator (`vendor:sigma,elastic`, `severity:high,critical`); repeating a facet merges the same way. `field:`/`value:` never split (literal commas)
`vendors:` / `stage:`	Singular and plural spellings fold to the canonical operator and value: `tactics:` = `tactic:`, `type:event` = `type:events`, `correlation:sequences` = `correlation:sequence`, `has:thresholds` = `has:threshold`
`"quoted phrase"`	Exact-match a multi-word phrase (free text)

Common Autorun Keys Modification

MITRE ATT&CK coverage

Event coverage

Rule body yaml

Stages and Predicates

Stage 0: `condition`

Stage 1: `selection`

Stage 2: `not filter_main_*`

Stage 3: `not filter_optional_*`

Exclusions

Indicators

Keyboard shortcuts

Search operators

Common Autorun Keys Modification

MITRE ATT&CK coverage

Event coverage

Rule body yaml

Stages and Predicates

Stage 0: condition

Stage 1: selection

Stage 2: not filter_main_*

Stage 3: not filter_optional_*

Exclusions

Indicators

Stage 0: `condition`

Stage 1: `selection`

Stage 2: `not filter_main_*`

Stage 3: `not filter_optional_*`