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Detection rules › Sigma

Modification of IE Registry Settings

Status
test
Severity
low
Log source
product windows, category registry_set
Author
frack113
Source
github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma

Detects modification of the registry settings used for Internet Explorer and other Windows components that use these settings. An attacker can abuse this registry key to add a domain to the trusted sites Zone or insert JavaScript for persistence

MITRE ATT&CK coverage

TacticTechniques
PersistenceT1112 Modify Registry
Defense ImpairmentT1112 Modify Registry

Event coverage

ProviderEventTitle
SysmonEvent ID 13RegistryEvent (Value Set)

Rule body yaml

title: Modification of IE Registry Settings
id: d88d0ab2-e696-4d40-a2ed-9790064e66b3
status: test
description: Detects modification of the registry settings used for Internet Explorer and other Windows components that use these settings. An attacker can abuse this registry key to add a domain to the trusted sites Zone or insert JavaScript for persistence
references:
    - https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1112/T1112.md#atomic-test-4---add-domain-to-trusted-sites-zone
    - https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1112/T1112.md#atomic-test-5---javascript-in-registry
author: frack113
date: 2022-01-22
modified: 2025-10-22
tags:
    - attack.persistence
    - attack.defense-impairment
    - attack.t1112
logsource:
    category: registry_set
    product: windows
detection:
    selection_domains:
        TargetObject|contains: '\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings'
    filter_main_dword:
        Details|startswith: 'DWORD'
    filter_main_null:
        Details: null
    filter_main_office:
        Details:
            - 'Cookie:'
            - 'Visited:'
            - '(Empty)'
    filter_main_path:
        TargetObject|contains:
            - '\Cache'
            - '\ZoneMap'
            - '\WpadDecision'
    filter_main_binary:
        Details: 'Binary Data'
    filter_optional_accepted_documents:
        # Spotted during Office installations
        TargetObject|contains: '\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Accepted Documents'
    condition: selection_domains and not 1 of filter_main_* and not 1 of filter_optional_*
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: low

Stages and Predicates

Stage 0: condition

selection_domains and not 1 of filter_main_* and not 1 of filter_optional_*

Stage 1: selection_domains

selection_domains:
    TargetObject|contains: '\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings'

Stage 2: not filter_main_*

filter_main_dword:
    Details|startswith: 'DWORD'
filter_main_null:
    Details: null
filter_main_office:
    Details:
        - 'Cookie:'
        - 'Visited:'
        - '(Empty)'
filter_main_path:
    TargetObject|contains:
        - '\Cache'
        - '\ZoneMap'
        - '\WpadDecision'
filter_main_binary:
    Details: 'Binary Data'

Stage 3: not filter_optional_accepted_documents

filter_optional_accepted_documents:
    TargetObject|contains: '\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Accepted Documents'

Exclusions

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

FieldKindExcluded values
Detailseq(Empty)
DetailseqBinary Data
DetailseqCookie:
DetailseqVisited:
Detailsis_null(no value, null check)
Detailsstarts_withDWORD
TargetObjectmatch\Cache
TargetObjectmatch\WpadDecision
TargetObjectmatch\ZoneMap
TargetObjectmatch\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Accepted Documents

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
TargetObjectmatch
  • \Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings