Disable Internal Tools or Feature in Registry

Detects registry modifications that change features of internal Windows tools (malware like Agent Tesla uses this technique)

Sigma rule (View on GitHub)

 1title: Disable Internal Tools or Feature in Registry
 2id: e2482f8d-3443-4237-b906-cc145d87a076
 3status: test
 4description: Detects registry modifications that change features of internal Windows tools (malware like Agent Tesla uses this technique)
 5references:
 6    - https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1112/T1112.md
 7    - https://www.mandiant.com/resources/unc2165-shifts-to-evade-sanctions
 8    - https://blogs.vmware.com/security/2022/11/batloader-the-evasive-downloader-malware.html
 9    - https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/detections/pum-optional-nodispbackgroundpage
10    - https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/detections/pum-optional-nodispcpl
11    - https://bazaar.abuse.ch/sample/7bde840c7e8c36dce4c3bac937bcf39f36a6f118001b406bfbbc25451ce44fb4/
12author: frack113, Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), CrimpSec
13date: 2022-03-18
14modified: 2025-06-04
15tags:
16    - attack.defense-evasion
17    - attack.t1112
18logsource:
19    category: registry_set
20    product: windows
21detection:
22    selection_set_1:
23        TargetObject|endswith:
24            - 'SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\DisableCMD'
25            - 'SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\NoControlPanel'
26            - 'SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\NoRun'
27            - 'SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\StartMenuLogOff'
28            - 'SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\DisableChangePassword'
29            - 'SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\DisableLockWorkstation'
30            - 'SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\DisableRegistryTools'
31            - 'SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\DisableTaskmgr'
32            - 'SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\NoDispBackgroundPage'
33            - 'SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\NoDispCPL'
34            - 'SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\DisableNotificationCenter'
35            - 'SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System\DisableCMD'
36        Details: 'DWORD (0x00000001)'
37    selection_set_0:
38        TargetObject|endswith:
39            - 'SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\ConsentPromptBehaviorAdmin'
40            - 'Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\InactivityTimeoutSecs'
41            - 'SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\shutdownwithoutlogon'
42            - 'SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\PushNotifications\ToastEnabled'
43            - 'SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Storage\Write Protection'
44            - 'SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\StorageDevicePolicies\WriteProtect'
45        Details: 'DWORD (0x00000000)'
46    condition: 1 of selection_set_*
47falsepositives:
48    - Legitimate admin script
49level: medium

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