huntrule

Windows reg.exe importing .reg files from common user and temp directories

Flags reg.exe importing .reg files when the command line references user or temp directories.

FreeReviewedSigma · Medium · v1
Product
windows
Category
process_creation
Author
frack113, Nasreddine Bencherchali (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2022-08-01
Updated
2026-07-30
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 identifies process creations where reg.exe is used to import .reg files, with the command line containing an import action and the command referencing common user and temporary paths (e.g., %temp%, %tmp%, %appdata%, AppData Local Temp, Windows Temp, and ProgramData). Such activity matters because importing registry files can change system settings and persistence-relevant configurations. The detection relies on Windows process creation telemetry, including the process image/original filename and the command line content and path strings.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1112 — drag to rearrange
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Suspicious Loopback Proxy Server Configured via Registry (via registry_set)
Malicious WDigest Credential Caching Enabled via Registry (via registry_set)
Suspicious Remote Desktop Enabled via fDenyTSConnections Registry by Sandworm
Malicious Gh0stBins RAT Registry Marker HHClient
Suspicious PebbleDash C2 Configuration Stored Under WMI Security Key (via registry_set)
Suspicious WDigest UseLogonCredential Enablement for Plaintext Credential Theft (via registry_set)
Windows reg.exe importing .reg files from common user and temp directories
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.