Windows Impair Defenses Disable AV AutoStart via Registry

name: Windows Impair Defenses Disable AV AutoStart via Registry
id: 31a13f43-812e-4752-a6ca-c6c87bf03e83
version: 13
creation_date: '2024-09-18'
modification_date: '2026-05-13'
author: Teoderick Contreras, Splunk
status: production
type: TTP
description: The following analytic detects modifications to the registry related to the disabling of autostart functionality for certain antivirus products, such as Kingsoft and Tencent. Malware like ValleyRAT may alter specific registry keys to prevent these security tools from launching automatically at startup, thereby weakening system defenses. By monitoring changes in the registry entries associated with antivirus autostart settings, this detection enables security analysts to identify attempts to disable protective software. Detecting these modifications early is critical for maintaining system integrity and preventing further compromise by malicious actors.
data_source:
    - Sysmon EventID 13
search: '| tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count FROM datamodel=Endpoint.Registry WHERE Registry.registry_path IN("*\\kingsoft\\antivirus\\KAVReport\\*" , "*\\kingsoft\\antivirus\\KSetting\\*", "*\\kingsoft\\antivirus\\Windhunter\\*" ,"*\\Tencent\\QQPCMgr\\*") AND ((Registry.registry_value_name IN("autostart","kxesc", "WindhunterSwitch") AND Registry.registry_value_data = "0x00000000") OR (Registry.registry_value_name = "WindhunterLevel" AND Registry.registry_value_data = "0x00000004")) by Registry.action Registry.dest Registry.process_guid Registry.process_id Registry.registry_hive Registry.registry_path Registry.registry_key_name Registry.registry_value_data Registry.registry_value_name Registry.registry_value_type Registry.status Registry.user Registry.vendor_product | `drop_dm_object_name(Registry)` | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)` | `windows_impair_defenses_disable_av_autostart_via_registry_filter`'
how_to_implement: To successfully implement this search, you need to be ingesting logs with the registry value name, registry path, and registry value data from your endpoints. If you are using Sysmon, you must have at least version 2.0 of the official Sysmon TA. https://splunkbase.splunk.com/app/5709
known_false_positives: No false positives have been identified at this time.
references:
    - https://www.proofpoint.com/us/blog/threat-insight/chinese-malware-appears-earnest-across-cybercrime-threat-landscape
    - https://www.fortinet.com/blog/threat-research/valleyrat-campaign-targeting-chinese-speakers
drilldown_searches:
    - name: View the detection results for - "$user$" and "$dest$"
      search: '%original_detection_search% | search  user = "$user$" dest = "$dest$"'
      earliest_offset: $info_min_time$
      latest_offset: $info_max_time$
    - name: View risk events for the last 7 days for - "$user$" and "$dest$"
      search: '| from datamodel Risk.All_Risk | search normalized_risk_object IN ("$user$", "$dest$") | stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime values(search_name) as "Search Name" values(risk_message) as "Risk Message" values(analyticstories) as "Analytic Stories" values(annotations._all) as "Annotations" values(annotations.mitre_attack.mitre_tactic) as "ATT&CK Tactics" by normalized_risk_object | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`'
      earliest_offset: 7d
      latest_offset: "0"
finding:
    title: disable anti-virus autostart via registry on [$dest$].
    entity:
        field: user
        type: user
        score: 50
intermediate_findings:
    entities:
        - field: dest
          type: system
          score: 50
          message: disable anti-virus autostart via registry on [$dest$].
analytic_story:
    - Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters
    - ValleyRAT
asset_type: Endpoint
mitre_attack_id:
    - T1112
product:
    - Splunk Enterprise
    - Splunk Enterprise Security
    - Splunk Cloud
category: endpoint
security_domain: endpoint
tests:
    - name: True Positive Test
      attack_data:
        - data: https://media.githubusercontent.com/media/splunk/attack_data/master/datasets/attack_techniques/T1112/kingsoft_reg/kingsoft_reg.log
          source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational
          sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog
      test_type: unit