Windows Registry Entries Exported Via Reg

Original Source: [splunk source]
Name:Windows Registry Entries Exported Via Reg
id:466379bc-0f47-476c-8202-16ef38112e0d
version:1
date:2025-01-15
author:Teoderick Contreras, Splunk
status:production
type:Hunting
Description:The following analytic detects the execution of the reg.exe process with either the "save" or "export" parameters. This detection leverages data from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agents, focusing on process execution logs and command-line arguments. This activity is significant because threat actors often use the "reg save" or "reg export" command to dump credentials or test registry modification capabilities on compromised hosts. If confirmed malicious, this behavior could allow attackers to escalate privileges, persist in the environment, or access sensitive information stored in the registry.
Data_source:
  • -Sysmon EventID 1
  • -Windows Event Log Security 4688
  • -CrowdStrike ProcessRollup2
search:| tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime from datamodel=Endpoint.Processes where `process_reg` AND Processes.process IN ("* save *", "* export *") by Processes.process_name Processes.original_file_name Processes.process Processes.process_id Processes.process_guid Processes.parent_process_name Processes.parent_process Processes.parent_process_guid Processes.dest Processes.user
| `drop_dm_object_name(Processes)`
| `security_content_ctime(firstTime)`
| `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`
| `windows_registry_entries_exported_via_reg_filter`


how_to_implement:The detection is based on data that originates from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agents. These agents are designed to provide security-related telemetry from the endpoints where the agent is installed. To implement this search, you must ingest logs that contain the process GUID, process name, and parent process. Additionally, you must ingest complete command-line executions. These logs must be processed using the appropriate Splunk Technology Add-ons that are specific to the EDR product. The logs must also be mapped to the `Processes` node of the `Endpoint` data model. Use the Splunk Common Information Model (CIM) to normalize the field names and speed up the data modeling process.
known_false_positives:network administrator can use this command tool to backup registry before updates or modifying critical registries.
References:
  -https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/quser
  -https://github.com/carlospolop/PEASS-ng/tree/master/winPEAS
  -https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2022/10/14/new-prestige-ransomware-impacts-organizations-in-ukraine-and-poland/
drilldown_searches:
  :
tags:
  analytic_story:
    - 'Windows Post-Exploitation'
    - 'CISA AA23-347A'
    - 'Prestige Ransomware'
  asset_type:Endpoint
  mitre_attack_id:
    - 'T1012'
  product:
    - 'Splunk Enterprise'
    - 'Splunk Enterprise Security'
    - 'Splunk Cloud'
  security_domain:endpoint

tests:
name:'True Positive Test'
 attack_data:
  data: https://media.githubusercontent.com/media/splunk/attack_data/master/datasets/malware/winpeas/sysmon.log
  source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational
  sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog
manual_test:None