Suspicious VBScript Code Stored in CurrentVersion Registry Value

PremiumReviewedSigma · Medium · v1
Product
windows
Category
registry_set
Author
HuntRule
Published
2026-10-05
Updated
2026-10-05

ATT&CK techniques

Execution → Defense Evasion
  1. Recon

  2. Resource Dev

  3. Initial Access

  4. Persistence

  5. Priv Esc

  6. Defense Evasion

  7. Cred Access

  8. Discovery

  9. Lateral Movement

  10. Collection

  11. C2

  12. Exfiltration

  13. Impact

What it detects

This rule detects registry values written under a CurrentVersion key that carry VBScript or scripting-object keywords such as Execute, Shell.Application or CreateObject. Adversaries including Nobelium via the Sibot malware hide executable script inside registry values to evade file-based detection and later run it through a script interpreter or rundll32. Storing script logic in registry data is unusual for legitimate software and indicates fileless staging.

Related detections9 linkedT1059.005 — drag to rearrange
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Suspicious MSHTA VBScript WScript Shell Execution
Windows: Alert on suspicious parent process spawning csc.exe
Windows Remote Thread Creation via CACTUSTORCH Using Script/Office/Rundll Host Images
Suspicious VBScript Persistence in CurrentVersion Run Key
Suspicious VBScript Payload Stored in CurrentVersion Registry Value (via registry_set)
Suspicious Office Application Spawning Script Interpreter
Suspicious mshta Execution of Remote or Inline Payload (via process_creation)
Malicious rundll32 vbscript mshtml RunHTMLApplication Execution
Suspicious VBScript Code Stored in CurrentVersion Registry Value
Pivot detection · T1059.005 · 9 related

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