huntrule

Suspicious Run Key Persistence Masquerading as MicrosoftUpdate via Axios npm Compromise

PremiumReviewedSigma · Medium · v1
Category
registry_set
Author
HuntRule
Published
2026-09-23
Updated
2026-09-23
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 named MicrosoftUpdate, a masquerade used by the SILKBELL payload delivered through the compromised axios npm package. The benign-looking value name hides a batch launcher that beacons to attacker infrastructure. Autostart entries impersonating Microsoft update services should be validated against their target executable.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1547.001 — drag to rearrange
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Suspicious Run Key Persistence Pointing to Test Executable via Registry Set
Suspicious Run Key Persistence Masquerading as MicrosoftUpdate via Axios npm Compromise
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.