Name:Windows Modify Registry ValleyRat PWN Reg Entry id:6947c44e-be1f-4dd9-b198-bc42be5be196 version:8 date:2025-04-22 author:Teoderick Contreras, Splunk status:production type:TTP Description:The following analytic detects modifications to the Windows Registry specifically targeting `.pwn` file associations related to the ValleyRAT malware. ValleyRAT may create or alter registry entries to associate `.pwn` files with malicious processes, allowing it to execute harmful scripts or commands when these files are opened. By monitoring for unusual changes in registry keys linked to `.pwn` extensions, this detection enables security analysts to identify potential ValleyRAT infection attempts. Early detection of these modifications helps mitigate unauthorized execution and prevents further exploitation of the system. Data_source:
-Sysmon EventID 13
search:| tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count FROM datamodel=Endpoint.Registry WHERE (Registry.registry_path= "*.pwn\\Shell\\Open\\command" OR Registry.registry_value_data = ".pwn") by Registry.action Registry.dest Registry.process_guid Registry.process_id Registry.registry_hive Registry.registry_path Registry.registry_key_name Registry.registry_value_data Registry.registry_value_name Registry.registry_value_type Registry.status Registry.user Registry.vendor_product | `drop_dm_object_name(Registry)` | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)` | `windows_modify_registry_valleyrat_pwn_reg_entry_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:unknown References: -https://www.proofpoint.com/us/blog/threat-insight/chinese-malware-appears-earnest-across-cybercrime-threat-landscape -https://www.fortinet.com/blog/threat-research/valleyrat-campaign-targeting-chinese-speakers drilldown_searches: name:'View the detection results for - "$user$" and "$dest$"' search:'%original_detection_search% | search user = "$user$" dest = "$dest$"' earliest_offset:'$info_min_time$' latest_offset:'$info_max_time$' name:'View risk events for the last 7 days for - "$user$" and "$dest$"' search:'| from datamodel Risk.All_Risk | search normalized_risk_object IN ("$user$", "$dest$") 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: - 'ValleyRAT' asset_type:Endpoint mitre_attack_id: - 'T1112' product: - 'Splunk Enterprise' - 'Splunk Enterprise Security' - 'Splunk Cloud' security_domain:endpoint
