Suspicious Registry Change of MS-settings Protocol Handler (via process_creation)

title: Suspicious Registry Change of MS-settings Protocol Handler (via process_creation)
id: eb47c987-f386-5ec0-832c-c4aeb2becadb
status: stable
description: This rule detects registry modifications to the 'ms-settings' protocol handler, which is frequently targeted for UAC bypass or persistence. Attackers can modify this registry to execute hostile code with elevated privileges by hijacking the command execution path.
references:
    - https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1112/
    - https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1546/001/
    - https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1548/002/
    - https://thedfirreport.com/2021/12/13/diavol-ransomware/
    - https://www.trendmicro.com/en_us/research/25/f/water-curse.html
author: Huntrule Team
date: 2026-04-16
tags:
    - attack.privilege-escalation
    - attack.persistence
    - attack.defense-impairment
    - attack.t1548.002
    - attack.t1546.001
    - attack.t1112
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection_reg_img:
        - Image|endswith: '\reg.exe'
        - OriginalFileName: 'reg.exe'
    selection_pwsh_img:
        - Image|endswith:
              - '\powershell.exe'
              - '\pwsh.exe'
        - OriginalFileName:
              - 'powershell.exe'
              - 'pwsh.dll'
    selection_reg_cli:
        CommandLine|contains: 'add'
    selection_pwsh_cli:
        CommandLine|contains:
            - 'New-ItemProperty'
            - 'Set-ItemProperty'
            - 'ni '
            - 'sp '
    selection_cli_key:
        CommandLine|contains: '\ms-settings\shell\open\command'
    condition: (all of selection_reg_* or all of selection_pwsh_*) and selection_cli_key
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: medium