Registry Modification Attempt Via VBScript - PowerShell
Detects attempts to modify the registry using VBScript's CreateObject("Wscript.shell") and RegWrite methods embedded within PowerShell scripts or commands. Threat actors commonly embed VBScript code within PowerShell to perform registry modifications, attempting to evade detection that monitors for direct registry access through traditional tools. This technique can be used for persistence, defense evasion, and privilege escalation by modifying registry keys without using regedit.exe, reg.exe, or PowerShell's native registry cmdlets.
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detection:
selection:
ScriptBlockText|contains|all:
- 'CreateObject'
- 'Wscript.shell'
- '.RegWrite'
condition: selectionSome legitimate admin or install scripts may use these processes for registry modifications.
Techniques
Sub-techniques
Registry Modification Attempt Via VBScript
Detects attempts to modify the registry using VBScript's CreateObject("Wscript.shell") and RegWrite methods via common LOLBINs. It could be an attempt to modify the registry for persistence without using straightforward methods like regedit.exe, reg.exe, or PowerShell. Threat Actors may use this technique to evade detection by security solutions that monitor for direct registry modifications through traditional tools.
Detects similar activity. Both rules may fire on overlapping events.
Registry Tampering by Potentially Suspicious Processes
Detects suspicious registry modifications made by suspicious processes such as script engine processes such as WScript, or CScript etc. These processes are rarely used for legitimate registry modifications, and their activity may indicate an attempt to modify the registry without using standard tools like regedit.exe or reg.exe, potentially for evasion and persistence.
Detects similar activity. Both rules may fire on overlapping events.