huntrule

Suspicious SyncFuture GcServices Configuration Key Creation

PremiumReviewedSigma · Medium · v1
Product
windows
Category
registry_set
Author
HuntRule
Published
2026-09-23
Updated
2026-09-23
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

Persistence → Defense Evasion

  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 writes to an HKCU Software Microsoft GcServices key, a fake Microsoft-branded configuration store used by SyncFuture malware. The actors stored year and MD5-derived values under this masqueraded key to hold implant configuration. A GcServices subkey under the Microsoft software hive does not correspond to any legitimate product and indicates implant configuration persistence.

Reporting behind it

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Suspicious SyncFuture GcServices Configuration Key Creation
Pivot detection · T1112 · 9 related

Detection content is published as a reviewed draft. Tune thresholds and exclusions against your own telemetry before enabling this rule for alerting.