Vulnerable Driver Blocklist Registry Tampering Via CommandLine

Description

Detects tampering of the Vulnerable Driver Blocklist registry via command line tools such as PowerShell or REG.EXE. The Vulnerable Driver Blocklist is a security feature that helps prevent the loading of known vulnerable drivers. Disabling this feature may indicate an attempt to bypass security controls, often targeted by threat actors to facilitate the installation of malicious or vulnerable drivers, particularly in scenarios involving Endpoint Detection and Response

Query · sigma

selection_img:
- Image|endswith:
  - \powershell.exe
  - \pwsh.exe
  - \reg.exe
- OriginalFileName:
  - PowerShell.EXE
  - pwsh.dll
  - reg.exe
selection_cli_1:
  CommandLine|contains:
  - 'add '
  - 'New-ItemProperty '
  - 'Set-ItemProperty '
  - 'si '
selection_cli_2:
  CommandLine|contains|all:
  - \Control\CI\Config
  - VulnerableDriverBlocklistEnable
condition: all of selection_*

Known false positives

  • It is very unlikely for legitimate activities to disable the Vulnerable Driver Blocklist via command line tools; thus it is recommended to investigate promptly.
Raw source Vulnerable Driver Blocklist Registry Tampering Via CommandLine · Sigma
Esc
Published by SigmaHQ/sigma ↗, licensed under Detection Rule License 1.1 ↗. Reproduced here unmodified. 
title: Vulnerable Driver Blocklist Registry Tampering Via CommandLine
id: 22154f0e-5132-4a54-aa78-cc62f6def531
related:
    - id: d526c60a-e236-4011-b165-831ffa52ab70
      type: similar
status: experimental
description: |
    Detects tampering of the Vulnerable Driver Blocklist registry via command line tools such as PowerShell or REG.EXE.
    The Vulnerable Driver Blocklist is a security feature that helps prevent the loading of known vulnerable drivers.
    Disabling this feature may indicate an attempt to bypass security controls, often targeted by threat actors
    to facilitate the installation of malicious or vulnerable drivers, particularly in scenarios involving Endpoint Detection and Response
references:
    - https://www.sophos.com/en-us/blog/sharpening-the-knife-gold-blades-strategic-evolution
    - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/application-security/application-control/app-control-for-business/design/microsoft-recommended-driver-block-rules
author: Swachchhanda Shrawan Poudel (Nextron Systems)
date: 2026-01-26
tags:
    - attack.defense-impairment
    - attack.t1685
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection_img:
        - Image|endswith:
              - '\powershell.exe'
              - '\pwsh.exe'
              - '\reg.exe'
        - OriginalFileName:
              - 'PowerShell.EXE'
              - 'pwsh.dll'
              - 'reg.exe'
    selection_cli_1:
        CommandLine|contains:
            - 'add '
            - 'New-ItemProperty '
            - 'Set-ItemProperty '
            - 'si '  # SetItem Alias
    selection_cli_2:
        CommandLine|contains|all:
            - '\Control\CI\Config'
            - 'VulnerableDriverBlocklistEnable'
    condition: all of selection_*
falsepositives:
    - It is very unlikely for legitimate activities to disable the Vulnerable Driver Blocklist via command line tools; thus it is recommended to investigate promptly.
level: high
regression_tests_path: regression_data/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_vulnerable_driver_blocklist_registry_tampering/info.yml

Detection rules belong to the projects that publish them and remain under their own licenses. This site indexes and links to them; it claims no rights in them.