AllowProtectedRenames Registry Modification


Description

Identifies attempts to enable the modification of Trusted Installer protected resources via PendingFileRename operation. Malware may change this setting to hijack existing resources for execution and persistence.

Query · eql

registry where process.name != null and
 registry.value : "AllowProtectedRenames" and registry.data.strings : "1" and 
 not process.executable : ("?:\\Program Files\\*", "?:\\Program Files (86)\\*", "\\Device\\Mup\\lansweeper\\*$\\uninstall_flash_player.exe") and
 not (process.code_signature.status : "trusted" and not process.code_signature.subject_name : "Microsoft*")
Raw source AllowProtectedRenames Registry Modification · Elastic TOML
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Published by elastic/protections-artifacts ↗, licensed under Elastic License 2.0 ↗. Reproduced here unmodified.
[rule]
description = """
Identifies attempts to enable the modification of Trusted Installer protected resources via PendingFileRename operation.
Malware may change this setting to hijack existing resources for execution and persistence.
"""
id = "6dad397a-7e26-4c5b-9a24-d19016f2ad03"
license = "Elastic License v2"
name = "AllowProtectedRenames Registry Modification"
os_list = ["windows"]
reference = [
    "https://qtechbabble.wordpress.com/2020/06/26/use-pendingfilerenameoperations-registry-key-to-automatically-delete-a-file-on-reboot/",
]
version = "1.0.6"

query = '''
registry where process.name != null and
 registry.value : "AllowProtectedRenames" and registry.data.strings : "1" and 
 not process.executable : ("?:\\Program Files\\*", "?:\\Program Files (86)\\*", "\\Device\\Mup\\lansweeper\\*$\\uninstall_flash_player.exe") and
 not (process.code_signature.status : "trusted" and not process.code_signature.subject_name : "Microsoft*")
'''

min_endpoint_version = "8.1.0"
[[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 = "T1112"
name = "Modify Registry"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1112/"

[[threat.technique]]
id = "T1562"
name = "Impair Defenses"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1562/"
[[threat.technique.subtechnique]]
id = "T1562.001"
name = "Disable or Modify Tools"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1562/001/"



[threat.tactic]
id = "TA0005"
name = "Defense Evasion"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0005/"

[internal]
min_endpoint_version = "8.1.0"

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