Outlook EnableUnsafeClientMailRules Setting Enabled - Registry

calendar Oct 23, 2025 · attack.persistence attack.defense-evasion attack.t1112  ·
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Detects an attacker trying to enable the outlook security setting "EnableUnsafeClientMailRules" which allows outlook to run applications or execute macros

Sigma rule (View on GitHub)

 1title: Outlook EnableUnsafeClientMailRules Setting Enabled - Registry
 2id: 6763c6c8-bd01-4687-bc8d-4fa52cf8ba08
 3related:
 4    - id: c3cefdf4-6703-4e1c-bad8-bf422fc5015a
 5      type: similar
 6    - id: 55f0a3a1-846e-40eb-8273-677371b8d912 # ProcCreation variation
 7      type: similar
 8status: test
 9description: Detects an attacker trying to enable the outlook security setting "EnableUnsafeClientMailRules" which allows outlook to run applications or execute macros
10references:
11    - https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/how-to-control-the-rule-actions-to-start-an-application-or-run-a-macro-in-outlook-2016-and-outlook-2013-e4964b72-173c-959d-5d7b-ead562979048
12    - https://speakerdeck.com/heirhabarov/hunting-for-persistence-via-microsoft-exchange-server-or-outlook?slide=44
13author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems)
14date: 2023-02-08
15modified: 2023-08-17
16tags:
17    - attack.persistence
18    - attack.defense-evasion
19    - attack.t1112
20logsource:
21    category: registry_set
22    product: windows
23detection:
24    selection:
25        TargetObject|endswith: '\Outlook\Security\EnableUnsafeClientMailRules'
26        Details: 'DWORD (0x00000001)'
27    condition: selection
28falsepositives:
29    - Unknown
30level: high

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