Suspicious Autostart Persistence via Run Key Pointing Outside Program Files (via registry_set)

ATT&CK techniques

Persistence → Priv Esc

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
- T1547.001Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder
Priv Esc
- T1547.001Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule detects creation or modification of a Run or RunOnce registry value whose data points to an executable outside the Program Files directories, a persistence-hunting heuristic from Group-IB Hunting Rituals. Adversaries register autostart entries that launch payloads from user-writable locations to survive reboot, so Run values referencing non-standard paths warrant review.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1547.001 — drag to rearrange

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Suspicious Ousaban Installation Marker maisum.dat Created (via file_event)

Suspicious Shahmaran Autostart Masquerading as Adobe Updater

Suspicious K7Soft Autostart Persistence

Suspicious Autostart Persistence via Run Key Pointing Outside Program Files (via registry_set)

Pivot detection · T1547.001 · 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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