Windows Registry Access to WCESERVICE Start Key

ATT&CK techniques

Cred Access

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
- T1003.001LSASS Memory
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule flags registry events where the TargetObject path contains Services\WCESERVICE\Start, consistent with activity related to the Windows Credential Editor service start setting. Attackers may use WCE to access or manipulate credentials, so monitoring service-related registry paths helps catch credential-access tooling deployment or activation. It relies on Windows registry event telemetry that includes the TargetObject field.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1003.001 — drag to rearrange

Malicious WDigest Credential Caching Enabled via Registry (via registry_set)

Malicious Credential Dumping via Mimikatz Sekurlsa Command

Malicious Mimikatz Sekurlsa Logonpasswords Credential Dump

Malicious LSASS Credential Dump via ProcDump (via process_creation)

Malicious LSASS Memory Dump via comsvcs.dll by Salt Typhoon

Malicious LSASS Dump via Process Access (via process_access)

Malicious LSASS Credential Dump with LSASSY - Process (via process_creation)

Malicious LSASS Credential Dump with LSASSY - Admin Share (via security)

Malicious Task Manager Used for LSASS Dump - Kernel (via security)

Windows Registry Access to WCESERVICE Start Key

Pivot detection · T1003.001 · 9 related

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

windows-registry-access-to-wceservice-start-key-a6b33c02

title: Windows Registry Access to WCESERVICE Start Key
id: a723c790-559f-4b3f-ae84-d6d37286fa70
status: test
description: This rule flags registry events where the TargetObject path contains Services\WCESERVICE\Start, consistent with activity related to the Windows Credential Editor service start setting. Attackers may use WCE to access or manipulate credentials, so monitoring service-related registry paths helps catch credential-access tooling deployment or activation. It relies on Windows registry event telemetry that includes the TargetObject field.
references:
  - https://www.ampliasecurity.com/research/windows-credentials-editor/
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/registry/registry_event/registry_event_hack_wce_reg.yml
author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2019-12-31
modified: 2021-11-27
tags:
  - attack.credential-access
  - attack.t1003.001
  - attack.s0005
logsource:
  category: registry_event
  product: windows
detection:
  selection:
    TargetObject|contains: Services\WCESERVICE\Start
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Unknown
level: critical
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: a6b33c02-8305-488f-8585-03cb2a7763f2
    type: derived

Convert

This rule as a query you can run. Uses no unlock credit.

SplunkSPL