Suspicious PowerShell In Registry Run Keys

 1title: Suspicious PowerShell In Registry Run Keys
 2id: 8d85cf08-bf97-4260-ba49-986a2a65129c
 3status: test
 4description: Detects potential PowerShell commands or code within registry run keys
 5references:
 6    - https://github.com/frack113/atomic-red-team/blob/a9051c38de8a5320b31c7039efcbd3b56cf2d65a/atomics/T1547.001/T1547.001.md#atomic-test-9---systembc-malware-as-a-service-registry
 7    - https://www.trendmicro.com/en_us/research/22/j/lv-ransomware-exploits-proxyshell-in-attack.html
 8    - https://github.com/HackTricks-wiki/hacktricks/blob/e4c7b21b8f36c97c35b7c622732b38a189ce18f7/src/windows-hardening/windows-local-privilege-escalation/privilege-escalation-with-autorun-binaries.md
 9author: frack113, Florian Roth (Nextron Systems)
10date: 2022-03-17
11modified: 2025-07-18
12tags:
13    - attack.privilege-escalation
14    - attack.persistence
15    - attack.t1547.001
16logsource:
17    category: registry_set
18    product: windows
19detection:
20    selection:
21        TargetObject|contains:
22            - '\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run' # Also covers "RunOnce" and "RunOnceEx"
23            - '\Software\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run'
24            - '\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\Run'
25        Details|contains:
26            - 'powershell'
27            - 'pwsh '
28            - 'FromBase64String'
29            - '.DownloadFile('
30            - '.DownloadString('
31            - ' -w hidden '
32            - ' -w 1 '
33            - '-windowstyle hidden'
34            - '-window hidden'
35            - ' -nop '
36            - ' -encodedcommand '
37            - '-ExecutionPolicy Bypass'
38            - 'Invoke-Expression'
39            - 'IEX ('
40            - 'Invoke-Command'
41            - 'ICM -'
42            - 'Invoke-WebRequest'
43            - 'IWR '
44            - 'Invoke-RestMethod'
45            - 'IRM '
46            - ' -noni '
47            - ' -noninteractive '
48    condition: selection
49falsepositives:
50    - Legitimate admin or third party scripts. Baseline according to your environment
51level: medium

References

• atomic-red-team/atomics/T1547.001/T1547.001.md at a9051c38de8a5320b31c7039efcbd3b56cf2d65a · frack113/atomic-red-team

  

  Small and highly portable detection tests based on MITRE's ATT&CK. - frack113/atomic-red-team

  
  Read More

• LV Ransomware Exploits ProxyShell in Attack on a Jordan-based Company

  

  Our blog entry provides a look at an attack involving the LV ransomware on a Jordan-based company from an intrusion analysis standpoint

  
  Read More

• hacktricks/src/windows-hardening/windows-local-privilege-escalation/privilege-escalation-with-autorun-binaries.md at e4c7b21b8f36c97c35b7c622732b38a189ce18f7 · HackTricks-wiki/hacktricks

  

  Welcome to the page where you will find each trick/technique/whatever I have learnt in CTFs, real life apps, and reading researches and news. - HackTricks-wiki/hacktricks

  
  Read More

Related rules

• Classes Autorun Keys Modification
• Common Autorun Keys Modification
• CurrentControlSet Autorun Keys Modification
• CurrentVersion Autorun Keys Modification
• CurrentVersion NT Autorun Keys Modification