Name:Disable Defender MpEngine Registry id:cc391750-3024-11ec-955a-acde48001122 version:8 date:2024-12-08 author:Teoderick Contreras, Splunk, Steven Dick status:production type:TTP Description:The following analytic detects the modification of the Windows Defender MpEngine registry value, specifically setting MpEnablePus to 0x00000000. This detection leverages endpoint registry logs, focusing on changes within the path "*\\Policies\\Microsoft\\Windows Defender\\MpEngine*". This activity is significant as it indicates an attempt to disable key Windows Defender features, potentially allowing malware to evade detection. If confirmed malicious, this could lead to undetected malware execution, persistence, and further system compromise. Immediate investigation and endpoint isolation are recommended. Data_source:
-Sysmon EventID 12
-Sysmon EventID 13
search:| tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime FROM datamodel=Endpoint.Registry WHERE (Registry.registry_path = "*\\Policies\\Microsoft\\Windows Defender\\MpEngine*" Registry.registry_value_name = MpEnablePus Registry.registry_value_data = 0x00000000) BY Registry.registry_path Registry.registry_key_name Registry.registry_value_name Registry.registry_value_data Registry.process_guid Registry.user Registry.dest | `drop_dm_object_name(Registry)` | where isnotnull(registry_value_data) | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)` | `disable_defender_mpengine_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:admin or user may choose to disable windows defender product References: -https://thedfirreport.com/2021/10/18/icedid-to-xinglocker-ransomware-in-24-hours/ drilldown_searches: name:'View the detection results for - "$dest$" and "$user$"' search:'%original_detection_search% | search dest = "$dest$" user = "$user$"' earliest_offset:'$info_min_time$' latest_offset:'$info_max_time$' name:'View risk events for the last 7 days for - "$dest$" and "$user$"' search:'| from datamodel Risk.All_Risk | search normalized_risk_object IN ("$dest$", "$user$") starthoursago=168 | 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:'$info_min_time$' latest_offset:'$info_max_time$' tags: analytic_story: - 'IcedID' - 'Windows Registry Abuse' asset_type:Endpoint confidence:70 impact:70 message:Modified/added/deleted registry entry $registry_path$ in $dest$ mitre_attack_id: - 'T1562.001' - 'T1562' observable: name:'dest' type:'Hostname' - role: - 'Victim' name:'user' type:'User' - role: - 'Victim' product: - 'Splunk Enterprise' - 'Splunk Enterprise Security' - 'Splunk Cloud' required_fields: - '_time' - 'Registry.dest' - 'Registry.registry_value_name' - 'Registry.registry_key_name' - 'Registry.registry_path' - 'Registry.registry_value_data' - 'Registry.process_guid' risk_score:49 security_domain:endpoint
