Service Disabled via Registry Modification

Elastic Stack Serverless Security

Identifies attempts to modify services start settings using processes other than services.exe. Attackers may attempt to modify security and monitoring services to avoid detection or delay response.

Rule type: eql

Rule indices:

• logs-endpoint.events.registry-*
• endgame-*

Severity: low

Risk score: 21

Runs every: 60m

Searches indices from: now-119m (https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/common-options.html#date-math[Date Math format], see also Additional look-back time)

Maximum alerts per execution: 100

References: None

Tags:

• Domain: Endpoint
• OS: Windows
• Use Case: Threat Detection
• Tactic: Defense Evasion
• Data Source: Elastic Endgame
• Data Source: Elastic Defend
• Rule Type: BBR

Version: 3

Rule authors:

• Elastic

Rule license: Elastic License v2

registry where host.os.type == "windows" and event.type == "change" and
  registry.path : (
    "HKLM\\SYSTEM\\*ControlSet*\\Services\\*\\Start",
    "\\REGISTRY\\MACHINE\\SYSTEM\\*ControlSet*\\Services\\*\\Start"
  ) and registry.data.strings : ("3", "4") and
  not
    (
      process.name : "services.exe" and user.id : "S-1-5-18"
    )
  and not registry.path : "HKLM\\SYSTEM\\ControlSet001\\Services\\MrxSmb10\\Start"

Framework: MITRE ATT&CKTM

• Tactic:

  • Name: Defense Evasion
  • ID: TA0005
  • Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0005/

• Technique:

  • Name: Modify Registry
  • ID: T1112
  • Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1112/

• Tactic:

  • Name: Impact
  • ID: TA0040
  • Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0040/

• Technique:

  • Name: Service Stop
  • ID: T1489
  • Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1489/