huntrule

Windows Registry Changes Disabling Windows Defender Event Log Channel

Detects registry changes that disable the Windows Defender Operational event log channel by setting its Enabled DWORD to 0.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v1
Product
windows
Category
registry_set
Author
Florian Roth (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2022-07-04
Updated
2026-07-30
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

  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 flags registry updates that set the Enabled value to 0 for the Windows Defender Operational event log channel (Microsoft-Windows-Windows Defender/Operational). Disabling security event logging can reduce visibility and hinder incident detection after compromise. It relies on registry_set telemetry capturing writes to the specific WINEVT Channels path and the associated DWORD Enabled value.

Reporting behind it

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Suspicious EDRKillShifter Vulnerable Driver Load from User Temp Directory (via image_load)
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Malicious FIN7 AvNeutralizer EDR Killer Execution via Masqueraded Binary (via process_creation)
Suspicious Process Explorer Kernel Driver Dropped as PED.sys via File Creation (via file_event)
Windows Registry Changes Disabling Windows Defender Event Log Channel
Pivot detection · T1685 · 9 related

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