Malicious WDigest Credential Caching Enabled via Registry (via registry_set)

ATT&CK techniques

Persistence → Cred Access

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
- T1112Modify Registry
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
- T1112Modify Registry
Cred Access
- T1003.001LSASS Memory
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule detects the WDigest UseLogonCredential value being set to 1, forcing plaintext credentials back into LSASS memory, as done by Lazarus in Operation Blacksmith. Re-enabling WDigest caching prepares the host for subsequent LSASS memory theft of cleartext passwords.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1112 — drag to rearrange

Malicious WDigest UseLogonCredential Enabled for Cleartext Credential Theft (via registry_set)

Malicious Restricted Admin Mode Enabled for Pass-the-Hash RDP

Malicious WDigest UseLogonCredential Enabled for Cleartext Credential Caching

Malicious WDigest UseLogonCredential Enablement For Credential Theft

Suspicious Office VBA Object Model Access Enabled via Registry (via registry_set)

Suspicious PowerShell Payload Staging in HKCU Printers Registry Key

Suspicious Rootkit Configuration Registry Keys (via registry_set)

Suspicious Disabling of Chromium App-Bound Encryption via Policy Registry Key (via registry_set)

Malicious LSASS Credential Dump via Rundll32 Comsvcs MiniDump via Process Creation (via process_creation)

Malicious WDigest Credential Caching Enabled via Registry (via registry_set)

Pivot detection · T1112 · 9 related

Detection content is published as a reviewed draft. Tune thresholds and exclusions against your own telemetry before enabling this rule for alerting.

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