huntrule

Suspicious Internet Shortcut URL File Registered for Run Key Persistence (via registry_set)

PremiumReviewedSigma · Medium · v1
Product
windows
Category
registry_set
Author
HuntRule
Published
2026-10-22
Updated
2026-10-22
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

Persistence → Priv Esc

  1. Recon

  2. Resource Dev

  3. Initial Access

  4. Execution

  5. Persistence

  6. Priv Esc

  7. Defense Evasion

  8. Cred Access

  9. Discovery

  10. Lateral Movement

  11. Collection

  12. C2

  13. Exfiltration

  14. Impact

What it detects

This rule detects a Run key persistence value pointing to an internet shortcut .url file. The Sosano backdoor orchestrator wrote a .url file into the registry Run key so the shortcut relaunched the malware at each logon.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1547.001 — drag to rearrange
Malicious Run Key Persistence Named SystemAgentService
Suspicious Run Key Persistence Pointing to ProgramData Executable (via registry_set)
Suspicious Run Key Persistence Pointing to WScript via PhantomVAI Loader (via registry_set)
Suspicious Run Key Persistence Named Updater
Suspicious Run Key Persistence Executing VBScript as WindowsSecurityCheck
Suspicious RunOnce Persistence Pointing to User AppData
Malicious FalseFont Backdoor Run Key Persistence from AppData (via registry_set)
Malicious Registry Run Key Persistence via AHealthDB by Stately Taurus
Suspicious PikaBot Autorun Persistence Pointing to AppData Microsoft Dropzone via registry_set
Suspicious Internet Shortcut URL File Registered for Run Key Persistence (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.