Suspicious Run Key Persistence Pointing To User-Writable Path

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 of a Run registry value whose data points to an executable in a user-writable directory. NetSupport RAT established login persistence through a CurrentVersion Run key referencing its dropped client binary. Autorun entries that launch code from temporary or profile locations are a common persistence mechanism for commodity RATs.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1547.001 — drag to rearrange

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URL Shortcut File Created in Startup Folder for Persistence

Suspicious Run Key Persistence via UpdateCheck Value in Operation TrueChaos

Suspicious Run Key Persistence Pointing to AppData Local Copy

Malicious WezRat Persistence via Chrome Updater Run Key

Suspicious RoboForm Update Run Key Masquerade (via registry_set)

Suspicious Run Key Persistence Pointing To User-Writable Path

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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